FROM_ORION
2021
STAINLESS STEEL
12 X 6 X 5 FT (3.6 X 1.8 X 1.5 M)
In simple terms, from_orion is a scientifically accurate three dimensional map of the star constellation Orion.
At first glance, FROM_ORION may look like a giant dart fell from the sky or a meteor crash sent metallic streaks radiating outward. But upon closer examination, it has a complex structure of rods and plates. The plates connect to form an image from ancient Greek mythology; the constellation Orion. Meanwhile, each rod’s width, length, and direction corresponds to that star’s brightness, distance, and position relative to earth.
People have been looking up at the stars for millennia, attaching stories to our observations to explain and attribute meaning to our own existence. By shifting our usual earth-centric perspective to the view from a distant planet, FROM_ORION is an invitation to think about the humanity we share on a tiny planet in the vast chaos of the cosmos.
For rental or purchase, contact me!
August 2023 to August 2024
Port of Dubuque Riverwalk, Dubuque, Iowa
The Riverwalk along the Mississippi River, Dubuque, Iowa, August 2023-2024
FROM_ORION Wins Best of Show!
It was quite an honor to be recognized among so many talented artists and artisans. I am grateful for the opportunity to showcase my work in such a beautiful, welcoming city, and this award was a nice capstone for the hard work and dedication it took to get it there.
October 2021 to August 2023
Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois
… SOME BACKGROUND …
A concept I like comes from the book “Contact” by Carl Sagan.
In the book, an extraterrestrial radio pulse is detected, and upon closer and closer inspection it unfolds layers of increasingly complex information. Though the layers of information in FROM_ORION are not the build plans for interstellar travel like in Sagan’s book, each component holds meaning.
From a distance, FROM_ORION may look like a giant dart fell from the sky or a meteor crash sent metallic streaks radiating outward.
Upon closer examination, there is a sphere ‘cut’ out of the center.
Looking up into the empty sphere reveals an image from ancient Greek mythology: Orion, The Hunter.
And looking down reveals the mirror image of the same.
Each pipe’s width, length, and direction corresponds to that star’s brightness, distance, and position relative to earth.
A three dimensional map of the constellation Orion!
Early concept renderings…
Early concept rendering - 15ft (4.6m) tall.
Above: explorable 3d model
Evolution of the idea: A different exploration using ‘plates’ instead of stainless steel tubes.
Earlier iteration using a domed “firmament”, mimicking our view from earth
Early version: Side view