Street lanterns have been lit by candles, gas, and electricity. Their power sources are a microcosm of technological developments. For Art at the Kent’s exhibition on the theme of innovation and hindsight, I looked to wind turbines and electric power production.

People have used the wind to power ships, pumps, and mills for hundreds of years. Using wind to directly produce electricity is relatively recent. In October 1941, the world’s first megawatt-scale wind turbine went online feeding power directly into high voltage lines of a utility system. The Smith-Putnam turbine on Grandpa’s Knob in Castleton, Vermont, was an engineering breakthrough.

We tend to take electricity for granted. Most of us are disconnected from the sources that power our lights and appliances. I wrapped this lantern in warmth and brightness to highlight one way to generate electricity. The lace knitting reveals the image of a modern wind turbine.

Read the fascinating story of the visionary Grandpa’s Knob wind turbine here:

Read my blog post to learn more about this installation and see the work in progress: