What do you do with 300 old refrigerators? Turn them into art. Or, at least that’s what Berlin-based artist Ralf Schmerberg has done. And not only is it art, it’s an igloo that carries a warning about energy consumption.
This unique piece of art, Fridge Igloo is presently installed in the center of Hamburg in the middle of the Gansmarkt. Schmerberg used 322 old refrigerators (and a metal frame) to create an igloo that is hooked up to an electrical meter that records the wasted energy. Now, if that’s not somewhat ironic, I don’t know what is.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Nope. Inside the igloo, Schmerberg has displayed dozens of different gadgets – from fans to toys and toasters to a TV that plays a loop of a roaring fireplace. Now, I know what you’re thinking: A giant igloo made out of refrigerators, and inside there’s a TV showing a fire? That’s just madness. Oddly enough, some have reported that the piece d’resistance is a plaque that reads: “35 pairs of gloves, 487 sandwiches by mommy, and 120 leisure-time beers.”
I think that Schmeberg may have had more than a few “leisure-time beers” before he conceptualized this piece of art. The only thing that seems very strange to me is that in order to raise awareness about how much energy old fridges waste, these folks decided to waste a whole bunch more energy. Would it have been that tough to install a solar panel?
What’s the point of all this? Other than being a strange and curious piece of art, this igloo also serves as a commentary on the energy wasted by old refrigerators. Schmeberg’s art was funded by a German utility company in an attempt to heighten awareness of energy efficiency.
If you’re a refrigerator junky – or just like things that are refrigerator related, then you might also be interested in this nifty little gadget: the Homebase which is a “smart board” for your fridge. Then again, if you’re just looking for a crazy new fridge, you might checkout The Flatshare Fridge that will help you save space without having to share your food with your roomies.
Via: Inhabitat
