Art 308, Studio Sculpture

Molly Burtenshaw

Project 3- Site / Place

Before I even began thinking about what sort of object I wanted to create for a site-oriented piece, I went out around campus to find a place that had a quality I felt needed to be elaborated on through an artwork. I ended up choosing the space between the arches of library, on the pathway to the campus center. There is something about this location that sets it apart from its surroundings as one has to pass under deep arches which have their own special tonal and visual qualities. The space in between them is almost isolated, even though it is one of the most highly trafficked areas on campus.

The object I chose to create had to be related to the history and identity of this space, and I decided to focus it around the idea of communication. There is connectivity between nature and indoor spaces on campus as well as between the large varieties of people that traverse the space every day. This is where the idea for a mirror system came in. The mirror presented inside the window of the library will reflect, through other carefully placed mirrors, the walkway down below, and the same effect will happen from the walkway up into the library. I wanted a piece that would capture interaction in a visual sense between those walking outside in nature and those who are inside studying within the library.

I wanted the shape and material of the project to be something very organic and natural to the environment. Wind and water are two elements that are very present in the spirit and mood of St. Mary’s, so the curves and spirals of the glass are supposed to capture that feeling. Because the windows of the library are glass, I wanted the object to be able to “grow” out of them, and slowly gradate into a lightly tinted blue color, which would not interfere too much with the brick. The coils inside the glass would be made to match the vines growing on that side of the arch, and the whole piece should be able to be affected by the elements and change and grow with the rest of the natural vegetation that exists within the site. The piece itself would work with the environment and change on a daily basis through different lighting conditions, as well as over time as the glass became stained by rain and other natural forces.