Tagged: East Bay Express

In the interest of firm footing, let's first approach Momentum Still, a group installation now at headquarters gallery, by way of literal description. First observation: Ornately patterned rugs carpet the small, downtown Berkeley storefront studio, softening the usually hard-tiled interior. Second: A wreath of tree boughs, several feet in diameter, occupies the room's middle space, suspended from the ceiling by taut twine. The wreath itself supports a loose weave of string and wood planks, suggesting a sort of reconfigured dream catcher or rustic veil. A constellation of pinecones hangs in its midst. Third: One wall is paneled with salvaged wood planks of various shapes and sizes. The nooks between their strata contain little surprises: crystals, dried moss, 'zines, dollar bills, and so on.

In the interest of firm footing, let's first approach Momentum Still, a group installation now at headquarters gallery, by way of literal description. First observation: Ornately patterned rugs carpet the small, downtown Berkeley storefront studio, softening the usually hard-tiled interior. Second: A wreath of tree boughs, several feet in diameter, occupies the room's middle space, suspended from the ceiling by taut twine. The wreath itself supports a loose weave of string and wood planks, suggesting a sort of reconfigured dream catcher or rustic veil. A constellation of pinecones hangs in its midst. Third: One wall is paneled with salvaged wood planks of various shapes and sizes. The nooks between their strata contain little surprises: crystals, dried moss, 'zines, dollar bills, and so on.

As is the case in many other cities in the Bay Area and across the country, Berkeley's stormwater infrastructure is in sad shape. But help could be on the way. On Election Day, Berkeley voters overwhelmingly supported Measure M, a $30 million bond aimed at street and watershed improvements. The city also recently completed environmental review of its 2011 Watershed Management Plan, a one-hundred-page document outlining the problems facing the city's infrastructure and offering a mix of solutions.