Anna Shmykova “HVAC*”
An exhibition-journey into the closed and unknown world of a nuclear power plant, a place where energy is born and apocalyptic phantoms arise. As the artist writes: “I wanted to take real technological processes and translate them into the language of art, thus realizing how I myself perceive equipment and technology as a ventilation engineer. On the other hand, I am struck by nature and scientific progress, namely uranium, which through irradiation by neutrons is able to decay, to change from one substance to another. As long as the atom remains peaceful, it can only benefit mankind.”
The nuclear power plant tour is inaccessible to most people because of the high industrial risks. The consequences from improper operation can pose serious risks to human health and the environment. Nevertheless, nuclear power plants are one of the most environmentally friendly ways of producing energy and account for almost 16% of the world’s electricity generation. The release of energy occurs as follows: in a nuclear reactor decays Uranium-235 (1 kg = 2 300000 coal), this releases a huge amount of thermal energy, it boils water, steam under pressure spins a turbine, which spins an electric generator.
The world’s first nuclear power plant was created in 1954 in Obninsk near Kaluga as part of the peaceful atom development program initiated by Soviet professor Igor Kurchatov. In 1957 the International Atomic Energy Agency was founded. The IAEA focuses much of its activities on ensuring the safety of nuclear energy, especially after the accidents at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 and at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011. In total, more than 190 nuclear power plants have been built on the planet, located in more than 30 countries (USA, France, China, Russia, South Korea, etc.).
* Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning
“Hvak” is an epic fantasy novel by O’Sanchez about a man (a deadbeat and alcoholic) in the Jurassic era who never became God, but was in charge of this Earth
Music: Союз Озверелых
Curator: Katya Mikhatova
