I grew up in Iowa City and occasionally would be taken by my parents to the Amana Colony for a family meal. The Amana was settled by a group of German settlers who formed a communal society that has lasted close to a century. Amana is one of many utopian experiments that have been scattered throughout the United States. The community was built around the idea of sharing the fruits of their labor and living in peace.
The western idea of a utopia is most often linked to an attempt to recreate Eden described in the book of Genesis. To return to a time when humanity was in harmony with each other, the environment and their God. Ironically, the term utopia comes from the Greek language and translates as “not a place,” which is probably why so few utopian experiments are sustained over time. This is why the Amana Colony is interesting.
The people who call themselves Inspirationists established mills and shops utilizing old-world skills. They quickly garnered a reputation for producing goods of superior quality. Today the Amana society is incorporated and continues to manage the collectively owned 26,000 acres of prime Iowa farmland. Although agriculture remains its primary economic base they have several restaurants, shops, furniture stores and operate Amana Refrigeration Inc. — a leader in the manufacturing of various modern-day appliances.The community currently has over 450 communal buildings distributed in seven villages. Although I would not suggest the community is Eden it is by some measures a success.
Two decades ago I developed a series of sculptures I entitled “investigations in light.” In order to form the challenging geometries, I utilized one of the first industrial 3-D printers that was stationed at Georgia Tech through a small artist grant. I developed a number of these golden translucent cubes (one shown here), which I displayed on an 8-foot-long by 8-foot-wide custom light table. The cubes were abstract interpretations of the “New Jerusalem” written about in the Book of Revelation. In the last days it is written that the city will descend from heaven, having the form of a perfect cube. It was described as being made of “pure gold, like transparent glass” and will have no need of the sun or moon because it will be illuminated by the very presence of God. Although most would agree with the historical definition, that utopia doesn’t exist, what certainly does exist is a deep yearning to live in a community where everything is as it should be.