300 Gallons (1)
300 Gallons
- Creator: Justin John
- Date: 2019
- Location: N Garden St & W Main St, SE Corner
- Types: murals (any medium), reproductions (derivative objects), utility box wraps
- Materials: ink, vinyl
- Collection: Traffic Box Wraps
"Upon receiving the location for the box, I immediately knew that I wanted to reference water and the Boise River that is only a few footsteps away from it. Though to be completely honest, when I was first given the location, I was perplexed. In my head I thought, “Wait, Garden and Main cross?” Needless to say, I had to consult a map. I went to visit the location in person, I had been by this box countless times, as I’m sure many others have. This location is one of the main exits from downtown Boise, either to Garden City or to connect onto 184. Everyday Boise is growing bigger and brighter; our city is becoming quite the metropolis and with that there is always a need to consider the future. To plan accordingly to support itself and not let the things we love most about Boise get lost in the shuffle of progress. I began researching, trying to learn of any special historical context to the location, but I just kept circling back to the river and what a marvelous asset it is for our city. With a little more reading, thought, and then some math (not my best skill) I found out that the approximate volume of the box is 300 fluid gallons. Which just so happens to be the approximate amount of water the average American family uses on a daily basis. [This number mostly refers to household consumption like washing dishes/laundry, taking baths/showers, flushing toilets, etc.] It all came together after that, the box would become a bucket, as I have done so in my previous work. This box turned bucket would be a physical representation of what our daily intake of water is in our society. Being able to see it on this scale will hopefully start a conversation and give people more context to their relationship with water. And hopefully inspire more mindful habits." - Justin John
