Seed [pop!] is an interactive solar-powered public sculpture designed by Joe O'Connell and Blessing Hancock. Tucson Public Art Council (TPAC) collaborated with the Arizona Research Institute for Solar Energy Fusion for the addition of public art to a solar home model on its way to a national competition. The sculpture uses sunlight to pop popcorn atop a 10-foot tower. The popper is heated using three vacuum-controlled, four-foot diameter circular reflectors made from aluminized mylar. Visitors may also speed up the popping by using mirrors to reflect sunlight onto the popper. "We want people to realize you can get a huge amount of power out of the sun - easily as much power as you can get from fossil fuel," O'Connell said. "Participants will work together to concentrate the sun and pop the kernels." The sculpture was unveiled at the University of Arizona's Solar Fusion event, where the public was invited to observe the powerful combination of solar energy, energy efficiency, and the best in home design.

 

For three weeks in October 2009 the U.S. Department of Energy hosted the Solar Decathlon in Washington DC - a competition in which 20 teams of college and university students compete to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house. The University of Arizona home model was the only submission to include solar art work!

 

 

This sculpture is featured in the May 2010 "Commissions" section of Sculpture Magazine.