At once visually spontaneous and architecturally straightforward, the concept for the tower artwork is a comprehensive, vibrant reflection on the concept of time. We begin from the top down: Suspended in mid-air are two nearly touching semi-spirals of dichroic glass. Each composition “half” is composed of twelve individual 8’ x 30” glass panels running along different color gradients. A total of twenty-four hanging glass panels, constantly changing in color, represent the dynamic, but transient hours of each day. Further, the sun’s reflection from the southern window will cast iridescent figures of light onto the northern wall, symbolically highlighting the energy and movement of campus life, and more specifically the colorful vitality of the art department.
Complementing the dichroic glass composition are linear ring mobiles. A small sphere following one of the ring’s orbits will move at each hour of the day. At mid-day, the orb will land on the visual point of intersection between the two glass semi-spirals. A visual recognition of this significant time of day may include some sort of subtle light show, which will work in tandem with gentle light projections taking place directly below the glass structure.
Embedded in the floor beneath the glass composition is its interpretive reflection. Two half circles—one diameter facing east, the other west—represent sun and moon, day and night, and the two hemispheres of the planet.
The semicircles cup an eruption of different numbers made from bronze, further exploring this metaphor. Encompassing the half-circles are twenty-four evenly distributed glass strips. Aligned with these strips are a total of 60 evenly spaced LED light fixtures curving with each semicircle. A faint light will travel from one side of each semi-sphere to the other with the passing minutes. The two traveling lights will meet at the center of the floor composition at mid-day, in unison with the synchronization happening overhead. This point in the day will be celebrated by surges of light fully utilizing the interior space, leading in different directions toward stairs, hallways and other high-traffic points. Like an artist’s palette, or a Jackson Pollock action painting, the light show will enliven the space with splashes of color, harmonizing with the natural activity, voices and footsteps in the busy foyer space.
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