A Petrol Canister Installation Symbolizing The Fossil Fuel Industry’s Demise

‘Tension’ is an abstract installation depicting the current and projected global transition from fossil fuels to renewable fuels. The art piece was created for Shift 2018 at IFA Berlin in collaboration with Souvenir Official, Selam X and Acte.

Almost 40 cascading petrol canisters, each 20 liters in size, are pulled together and progressively contorted by the effects of an industrial tension belt. The form of the installation symbolizes the process of energy change and the inevitable fall of the fossil fuel empire, given the acceleration of climate policy action and the ongoing shift to digital technologies. The installation was created for Shift AUTOMOTIVE, a new platform that seeks to further explore the challenges of digital disruption for the transportation industry. The bi-annual convention is a collaboration between IFA Berlin, the leading consumer electronics fair, and the Geneva International Motor Show. The next edition will be held during the Geneva Motor Show in March 2019.

Images © Jaewon Chung

In collaboration with Messe Berlin.