t he choice of felt as a primary material for the installation opened up a variety of investigations. In recognizing the history of felt as a medium in the museum, we had interest in works that repre- sented intrinsic characteristics of the material; in compression, in tension, and one might say in psychological and metamythic states. Sculptural works of Robert Morris and Joseph Bueys exhibited ways that felt, as raw material, was at the service of portraying itself. Our research resulted in some intrinsic contradictions: transform- ing the felt from what was a naturally a fluid and unstable medium, to a rigid and structural matrix. The first step in fabrication was to provide the felt manufacturer with full-scale templates specifying pattern forms and dimensions for the garment.The factory responded with finished patterns from 2000 square feet of felt, trimmed, coded, shrink-wrapped, and truck delivered to the site. Students assembled the piece by fastening, folding, and clamping the individual panels. Programmatically, the installation responded to occupation. Benches introduced at the gallery wall and window provided an intimate retreat from the public realm; one could view from it, and in turn be partially viewed. A more studied aspect of the work however was its interiority, enmeshing the occupant, wall cavity, and blanket.The result was a new thick surface, an armature for modulating shadow and light. Intertwining voids formed torqued vistas penetrating the full length of the wall, illuminated by open hoppers along the top edge.
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O n S ite review
S urface
I ssue 9 2003
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