Cloud Playhouse

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"We experience a contradiction between what our eyes enjoy and what our mind knows."- Dietrich Wegner

At first glance, this happy-go-lucky playhouse could look like any child's dream. But then, the shape reminds us of a mushroom cloud and we're left feeling a little uneasy...

"In Playhouse, I combine an atomic bomb’s mushroom cloud, with one of the safest places one can go, their childhood playhouse," artist Dietrich Wegner tells us. "The playhouse is a place of escape, imagination, and comfort. Often we have used bombs to preserve our playhouse, causing us to be stuck in limbo, between comfort and fear. I question how mindful we are of the consequences of our actions. I search for images that articulate the confusion between the intentions, outcomes and ideals of my nation, while focusing on the spaces between beauty, fantasy, and reality.

"I make my statement from confusion with what I see around me. I want to make images that help me think around my world, so I can, in the end, know what I see a little better. I hope my work helps people think about our collective fears, our innocence and the decisions we make to be safe. My hope is that we climb above our terror enough to think about the reality and consequences of our actions."

When asked what kind of reaction Playhouse has received, here's what Wegner said. "Unfortunately, at least judging from blog reactions to Playhouse , people just seem to think it is cool fun and cozy and I am not sure internet viewers get farther than that."