Thursday, April 26, 2012

About my solar art creations and their purposes


Hello everyone!
Is sun shining at your place? Being honest, sun doesn't shine often here in Brussels but still, in my studio, everything is always on the move!
Even if you don’t see it...sun is always there, providing energy to the Planet Earth and to my solar art creations of course... :)

You are probably wondering on which consist my creations…
I'm mostly known thanks to my "Dancing Solar Flower”, consisting of an engine running by means of a solar cell and to which a paper flower head is applied. The solar cell converts light into electricity that powers the engine and enables the flower to move as long as there is light.

dancing-solar-flower-for-sustainable-development-art-and-solar-art-by-alexandre-dang-跳舞太阳能花-艺术家亚历山大黨-可持续发展-可太阳能艺术-可再生能源-可太阳
Dancing Solar Flower


Why flowers?
Actually, lot of patterns exists, but flowers have a special signification to me: with their colours and fragrances they are able to bring a wave of joy also in the most difficult situations.
I want to diffuse a message of hope about our society and about the future of our planet.
As the Planet Heart and the Sun appartain to the entire humanity, also my solar art wants to be accessible and understandable to the widest possible audience.
No language neither education barriers will prevent someone to understand flowers and sun power! An example?! Have a look at the Singapore Art Museum website...http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions/upcoming.php :) my Dancing Solar Flowers will be exhibited there from 18 May 2012 to 12 August 2012.

dancing-solar-flower-or-flowers-for-sustainable-development-art-and-solar-art-by-alexandre-dang-at-singapore-art-museum-跳舞太阳能花-艺术家亚历山大黨-可持续发展-可太阳能艺术-可再生能源-可太阳
Poster of the exhibition Art Garden at the Singapore Art Museum



With my Dancing Solar Flowers I both create Fields and Vertical Gardens, as you can see in pictures below...

dancing-solar-flower-or-flowers-for-sustainable-development-art-and-solar-art-by-alexandre-dang-跳舞太阳能花-艺术家亚历山大黨-可持续发展-可太阳能艺术-可再生能源-可太阳
Field of Dancing Solar Sunflowers at Balt'Art exhibition


dancing-solar-flower-or-flowers-for-sustainable-development-art-and-solar-art-by-alexandre-dang-跳舞太阳能花-艺术家亚历山大黨-可持续发展-可太阳能艺术-可再生能源-可太阳
Vertical Garden of Dancing Solar Flowers at the Singapore Art Museum

Children are always curious about my creations: of course, they are attracted by colors and movement but then, as normal, they start asking tons of questions...that's what I wish! 
I really wish people to ask questions and to interrogate themselves about renewable energies and the future of our planet! Everyone should think about it, because the Planet Earth belongs to everyone and everyone needs to take care about it!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Solar energy, art and developing world: little introduction about myself


Et voilà, here I am! The blog is ready, a new exciting experience to present my solar art creations and, of course, some information about solar and sustainable energies.

My name is Alexandre, I’m French and I've been living and working in Belgium for about 10 years. Having an engineering background, I like to define myself as an artist-engineer...wired?! No, come on...only think about Leonardo da Vinci: he was a scientist applying his studies to art...of course I don’t want to compare myself to a genius as Leonardo Da Vinci...perish the thought! But the concrete idea is not that different, isn't it? ;) 

My work combines aesthetics to solar energy…it’s called SOLAR ART!

But let’s have a better perspective on the situation…
During your studies you have probably learnt that the sun is the star shining at the center of Solar System and consisting of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields. But you also learnt that flowers need sun to be able to make the photosynthesis and that humans need solar light to grow strong and to not get depressed...
Sun makes you willing to live, Sun provides energy...SUN BRINGS LIFE! 



The question is: do we really use the energetic potential of the Sun? Mostly not! Even if the sun provides 10,000 times more energy to the earth than humans need, more than 1.7 billion people still do not have access to electricity. A more intensive use of solar energy will help providing electricity and basic services to people who still need it!The pressing need to address this issue is the driving force of my artistic and humanitarian commitment: that's why all the rights of my artworks are donated to the NGO Solar Solidarity, that I have co-founded in 2006.

Solar-Solidarity-International-is-an-NGO-created-by-Alexandre-Dang

This NGO has two main objectives:
1. Raise awareness of the potential of renewable sources of energy (particularly the sun);
2. Raise funds to support humanitarian project using renewable and solar photovoltaic technology to provide energy to the developing world.



Solar Solidarity has already supported some nice solar electrification projects, mostly in Africa, but there is still lot to do! To give electricity means to provide a better life style to people and to enable hospitals to work also at night and to conserve medicines and vaccines. It also means a better education for people and the possibility to be connected with the rest of the world thanks to the web. 
There are lots of ways to sustain the developing world and that’s the one I choose: it is green, it is sustainable and it will provide energy for free! 
And you, what do you think about green and sustainable energies? 

If you want to know more about Solar Solidarity: www.solarsolidarity.org

Talk to you soon!
Alexandre