Sculpture Studio Spring 2010

Project 3: Site, Place, and Installation

 

Intention Statement
“The Gathering”

Installations transform a space and create glimpses of another world. My goal was to revamp a dull brick wall that is often overlooked because it fades into the space. Many people did not even realize there was an elevator in Montgomery Hall because there was no reason to look at the structure. In celebration of spring, my goal was to transform the dull brick wall into something spectacular and out of the ordinary.

As a reconstructed space, I wanted to bring nature indoors to make people stop and admire the room instead of ignoring the structure. I chose to install hundreds of white paper butterflies exploding from the elevator and ascending up the walls. I wanted to play with the idea of butterfly migrations and swarms of a single object taking over a space. I hoped to give the butterflies a peaceful presence and allow them to become welcomed visitors in Montgomery Hall. Aesthetically, my goal was to create a sense of fluidity and beauty through mass repetition of a simple shape. I wanted to use a uniform template so that the overall forms became more important than the single unit. My process became akin to drawing as I created whimsical swirls that covered the walls. I paid close attention to the direction that each butterfly was facing, as well as the density of the overall shapes in order to create visual interest and movement. I chose to use white paper because it is a simple, recognizable material that would not detract from the overall appearance. Also, the contrast created by the white paper as it hits the light juxtaposed with the dark bricks enhances the airy effect of the piece.

While I wanted to enhance the walls, I also wanted to surround the viewer with the installation. In order to do so, I created a structure that arcs over ones head and extends from the wall. This enhanced the illusion of flight since the butterflies appear to be suspended in air. Also, I chose to hang them on fishing wire so they move ever so slightly when you walk by. I, however, did not feel that this was enough to activate the space, and so I decided to place a few butterflies in the stairwell and surrounding area. This turned out to be successful because they direct your eyes to the larger installation and make you feel surrounded.

I think this installation would have been more powerful if there was more dimension to the installation on the wall above the elevator. Other areas, such as the lower wall have layers of wire that create subtle topographies from a side view. The upper wall towards the ceiling becomes flat and is therefore less successful; however, the trail of butterflies ascending onto the ceiling adds visual interest to another plane. It would have been interesting to be able to continue the line onto other parts of the ceiling in the space. Overall, I think utilizing more of the space would have made the installation more transformative. I began to make some of the butterflies trail off into the space and land on couches, railings, and windows. A few interacted with the space (i.e. on light switches or on window locks), but more interaction would have enhanced the whimsicality of the piece.