By Colin Secore
Lecture Photos by Colin Secore
Other Photos from marymattingly.com
On Friday, April 19th, Eco Arts Week began with a talk by Mary Mattingly at the Ulster County Restorative Justice and Community Empowerment Center. Mattingly is a sculptural builder who strives to create sources of shelter and food that are accessible within the confines of our society. She shared various projects and work she’s accomplished, highlighting how they work as natural systems within themselves on either a small or large scale. Her works encapsulated what Eco Arts Week is all about: utilizing art and creative thinking to nourish a more healthy and renewable Earth.
Mattingly was inspired by philosopher Peter Sloterdijk’s idea of “spheres,” or self-contained systems. A microsphere, like the mother’s womb, is more intimate. While a macrosphere, like an entire state, is large enough to have interacting with society be a main component of its existence. This philosophy of spheres has informed much of Mattingly’s work, with some projects being self-contained and others reaching out and forming new dynamics.
In 2021 Mattingly created Watershed Core, a spherical structure built from steel and plastic tubes. Plants fill the shed, the pipes carrying water between them. It was designed to be easy to understand how it worked and how it could be maintained. In a succinct and refreshing system, we’re able to get a look at how water moves up close. Rain and condensation collects in the shed and naturally provide further to the constructed environment. Mattingly brings attention to the priceless nature of water and the importance of those who care for clean water in the face of surmounting conflicts over water accessibility.
Mattingly then shared the story of the creation of the Waterpod, a dream she had for a livable space on the water made from various recycled elements. It was a long and arduous process with red tape lining every step of the way. The bureaucracy made it seem impossible, but Mattingly endured it all with the belief that eventually she could make this idea real. Once 2009 came, it was. All atop a barge there was a kitchen, a shower, gardens around the perimeter, a geodesic dome for the public, and four cabins. Chickens were even raised onboard. The living systems were very difficult to manage, but with outside knowledge from visitors it became more manageable. In an incredible feat, Waterpod had 200,000 visitors over the five months it was active. Through its popularity it continued to receive permits allowing it to stay afloat. With rising water levels in our midst, reinforcing our capacity to live on the water is a priceless endeavor. To be able to recycle so much to achieve it is a grand testament to our human capability to be environmentally conscious and suit ourselves all at the same time.
The final project that Mattingly presented was Swale, a floating food forest. It was created as a response to New York City’s laws against picking or growing food on public land. In the city, access to fresh produce is very scarce and expensive, leaving city locals with limited options for healthy eating. Mattingly used a barge to utilize marine common law, creating a public place that does not adhere to public land laws. People were invited to come on board and pick whatever they wanted from various fruits and veggies being grown on Swale with no cost. The provocative project partially inspired NYC’s first foodway and has inspired meaningful discussion about access to healthy food that made headlines in the news. Swale is currently closed but intends to embark better than ever this year, as a permanent service to the city. Swale encapsulates the purpose of Mattingly’s work as a functioning work of art, a source of health, and a testament to our capabilities to conserve and recycle.
Mary Mattingly’s work becomes increasingly relevant with the worsening conditions of the Earth. We face record-breaking storms and droughts simultaneously and with little concern from the general populous. Mattingly is not waiting for a world that acknowledges the urgency of our situation, she is beginning discussions with a power only art can provide.
This article is part of an ongoing collaboration between the Kingston Wire and the Midtown Arts District.
