Last school year on the lawn near Ninth Street and Ivinson Avenue sat a sculpture that was little more than a circle of burnt swirling logs, called the Carbon Sink. Over the summer, pieces were removed, sparking debate from UW students and members of the Wyoming legislature.
An overlooked aspect of the Carbon Sink is that it was a piece of art, and art is created to spark emotions. Almost any art history professor will say that art often sparks protests and public outcry. The artist, Chris Drury, told “The Guardian” that he wanted his Carbon Sink to spark debate, and it did just that.
The piece was placed in a large coal producing state to gather awareness for the environmental impacts of coal. UW gets a large percentage of its funding from the coal industry, and members of the state legislature felt that it was inappropriate to have the sculpture on campus.
A student-led group felt that the piece was removed because it showed the darker side of the coal industry. The Facebook group University of Wyoming Memes for Great Success had a picture of the sculpture with the caption “miss me yet?” Many UW students commented and expressed their frustration. The piece was clearly created to set the platform for healthy debate about the coal industry, but since its removal the debate has gathered more media and local attention.
Coal has been a staple for the Wyoming economy since the territorial days. The energy industry employs thousands of workers and the success can be seen in the new buildings around campus, but the Carbon Sink raises questions about the future of the environment. The Carbon Sink used logs from beetle kill trees, drawing a silent connection between the largest coal-producing state and the decaying forests.
Protests happen all around the world and the country, including at UW. The Carbon Sink brought a protest into Wyoming. The debate over the Wyoming economy and the energy industry continues even without the Carbon Sink at UW.
