The Solar Crystal: An Energy Autarchic Sun Sculpture

, S()IART GLOBAL NE1\V()RK The Solar Crystal: An Energy Autarchic Sun Sculpture Jiirgen Claus In October 1993, I was invited to install a small exhibition of my Solar Energy Sculptures at the first Solar Day in Jiilich, Germany.Jiilich, a city between Cologne/Diisseldorf in the East and Aachen in the West, has been extremely ambitious in its attempt to attract various activities concerning solar-energy systems. In 1991, the government of North Rhine Westphalia founded the Arbeitsgemeinschaft (AG) Solar, a solar forum and alliance of universities, research institutions and private companies . In addition, the focal point of decentralized energy systems (DES) was established at the Solar InstituteJiilich, part of the Fachhochschule AachenJiilich , which is a primarily technical educational institution. Shortly after the exhibition, Michael Meliss, head of the Solar Institute, suggested that I produce a solar sculpture for the third Solar Day, which was held inJiilich in 1995. Along with Nora Claus, I designed the main structure of the SolarCrystal in Cape Cod, Massachusetts inJuly 1994. We incorporated The SoLArt Global Network section of Leonardo makes visible theactivities of a groupof artists, engineers, scientists and scholars participatingin an internationalproject . Theparticipantsin the SoLArt Global Network arededicated to provokingtheculturalchanges necessary to moveoursocietiesfrom a dependence onpetroleum-based sources ofenergy toa dependence on renewable resources. For further informationon theSoLArt Global Network, contactJilrgenClausand Nora Clausat Centre Ooeroth, Overoth 5, B-4837 Baeten, Belgium. Tel: (32) 87-743791;fax: (32) 87-743796. Additionalinformationcan alsobeobtained on theLeonardo World WideWeb Site, located at