Humanescence

2008

Recently commissioned by the University of Colorado for the atrium of their new medical library this sculpture uses imagery of the human body from the Visible Human Project. Cross sectional imagery is printed on the faces of thin vertical stainless steel filaments arrayed in a matrix to form a much larger column. The filaments will span from the floor to the ceiling of the oval lobby (25') to create a monumental sculptural column. The filaments will be 3/4" wide, and will have the imagery printed on them that corresponds to their relative location in the matrix of body sections. The orientation of the filaments will alternate between coronal and sagittal views in the matrix so that the body imagery is visible from all angles. The sculpture will appear to shimmer as the viewer moves around the column because of the moray pattern of the matrix of filaments. A thin film diffraction grating will be laminated to the filaments where the body imagery is printed, to add visual depth, and color to the sculpture. Energy efficient florescent lighting will be placed at the top of the sculpture to make the body imagery printed onto the diffraction film appear to be self-illuminated. The display creates a visual paradox that speaks to the current challenge of the medical profession. You see, it is natural to want to make the array of filaments denser and increase the proportion of image to void space because more cross sectional imagery will be displayed. The paradox comes when you realize that you can no longer see as deeply into the body.