As usual Laurens work confronts real issues, this installation looks at international concerns about the impact of gross American consumerism on humanity and the environmental and visual pollution of the Middle East by the presence of these machines: the hummer.

Image:"One day when you grow up, you will become a beautiful butterfly" 2004
As usual Laurens work confronts real issues, this installation looks at international concerns about the impact of gross American consumerism on humanity and the environmental and visual pollution of the Middle East by the presence of these machines: the hummer.

Image:"One day when you grow up, you will become a beautiful butterfly" 2004
"1930- at the end of Lewis Milestone's famous anti-war movie, All quiet on the Western Front, a soldier reaches for a butterfly. He is so intent on catching the butterfly he does not see the enemy. He is shot. 2004 in the New Year, the USA plans to increase the number of troops in Iraq to 150,000.
Peace on earth? Yeah right!!!!"

The H2 is a gas guzzler. Because it has a gross vehicle weight rating over 8500 lbs, the US government does not require it to meet federal fuel efficiency regulations. Hummer isn't even required to publish its fuel economy (owners indicate that they get around 10 mpg for normal use). So while our brothers and sisters are off in the Middle East risking their lives to secure America's fossil fuel future, H2 drivers are pissing away our "spoils of victory" during each trip to the grocery store.

The H2 is a polluter. Based on G.M.'s optimistic claim that it gets13 mpg, an H2 will produce 3.4 metric tons of carbon emissions in a typical year, nearly double that of G.M.'s Chevrolet Malibu sedan.

The H2 is a death machine. You'd better hope that you don't collide with an H2 in your economy car. You can kiss your ass goodbye thanks to the H2's massive weight and raised bumpers. Too bad you couldn't afford an urban assault vehicle of your own. Or could you...?

The H2 is a tax loophole. Under Bush's new tax plan, business owners can deduct the entire cost of their $55,000 H2. If you are in the highest tax bracket, that's a tax savings of nearly $20,000! The government rewards you more savings for buying an H2 than you'd get for buying an electric car.

Lauren Lysaght
whitespace christmas show
exhibition continues until 24 Dec- gallery reopens 15 January 2005
whitespace

12 Crummer Rd
Ponsonby
Auckland
New Zealand
deborah white 361 6331 www.whitespace.co.nz