trafficjam

Wallnut, copper,steel, epoxy resin
29cm x 40cm x 8cm
2015


This piece shows the end result of an electro-chemical process. Copper foil was adhered to the surface of the wood, with a smaller steel piece with a convex parabolic curve at one end. A copper rod was mounted in a hole in the wood at the focal point of the curve. A hole cut in the copper foil assured that there is no direct contact between the rod and the foil. The copper foil and steel serve as the the anode for the electrolysis reaction, and the copper rod as the cathode. Tap water was added as the electrolyte, and salt periodically added around the edges. Colored substances develop on the surface for a period of about one week, untill the water has completely evaporated and current no longer flowed between the poles. Epoxy resin was poured over the top as the final step.