Lo(e)ss is a material exploration of cement and Mississippi River silt. The project is site specific, designed for temporary exhibition upon the deck of a transfer barge owned and operated by Continental Cement. The barge is positioned on the Missouri bank of the Mississippi River, immediately downstream from the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge. 

The series of castings raise questions about the invisible interactions among industrial compounds and naturally occurring elements within the river basin. What is present, and how will resultant reactions effect the river’s natural systems over time? How might an invisible presence be communicated, and what correlations can be found linking trace amounts of material to inconspicuous change? How might an urgency to address legacy alterations that exceed the human lifespan be inherited? The questions raised through specific materials of the immediate site can be extrapolated to include much of the conversation between industry and the natural systems of the Mississippi River.

The ten castings are a series of ratio gradients that sequence from 0% to 100% silt. Through the castings, the consistency, texture, mass, and structure of the material interactions can be examined. Fabric dye in correlation with the percentage of cement, was added to each material pour to materialize unknown trace compounds within each reaction. The resulting castings were unpredictable in their layering, texture expressions, and coloration and resulted in ten unique artifacts displaying singular moments of intense grain, color vibrancy and textural homogeneity.

Field Research was conducted to investigate current conditions of the Mississippi River corridor prior to starting ideation. Two canoe excursions were conducted covering the territory between Alton, Illinois and the Saint Louis waterfront. The first of the canoe excursions traversed the section of river directly downstream from the Chain of Rocks. In this section of the river, the industrialized shipping lane is rerouted to the East and proceeds through the Chain of Rocks Canal. The remaining channel, released from the burdens of commerce and infrastructure, retains an atmosphere of natural preserve. The river splits around Mosenthein Island, a four mile long mass of sand, silt, and an emerging riverine forest. Used for agriculture in the past, the now forested Mosenthein provides a visceral window into a fluvial landscape left to develop within the flood plain with minimal human intervention. 

The Continental Cement storage and transport facility was the site of a temporary installation of lo(e)ss and other works. The Continental Cement facility is located on the Missouri side and includes a barge moored within the river. This barge is the anchor point for loading and unloading of cement for distribution. Cement powder is conducted between multi-level storage buildings and transport barges via a network of steel framed catwalks and transfer ducts. Cement dust residue coats portions of the barge and is visible upon the ground within the proximity of the site.