Enfold, Montecito, CA, 2022

DESCRIPTION

Enfold is a site-specific, permanent commission which laces seamlessly into the concrete ceiling slab of a contemporary residence. The sculpture's dynamic angles and soft curves interplay with both the architecture and surrounding landscape, a Montecito hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Vibrantly-colored braided fibers interweave to create different viewer experiences from every angle.

Echelman was inspired by the challenge of visualizing the human imagination—how does one express the inception of an idea in visual form?  Echelman was drawn to the potential created by proximity within the body’s biological structures at various scales. Janet and her studio researched the development of folds within the human brain, and coils within the varied hierarchies of cellular structures. By bringing information from disparate biological locations into close proximity, these folds and coils create the possibility of new interactions within the physical structures of the mind. 

The artist chose to limit her palette to four distinct colors, referencing the four nucleic acids of genetic code, the building blocks of all living forms. Cobalt, turquoise, magenta, and crimson fibers interweave to create multiple layers of translucent patterns and visual rhythm. This vibrant color pierces the gray concrete ceiling slab above. From outside, the sculpture is reflected repeatedly in the curving architectural glass. 

A custom-colored projected lighting program illuminates the sculpture in darkness, visible from both interior and exterior gathering spaces on multiple levels. Shadow drawings on the floor gradually move and change. These transformations of light and color on the artwork and its surrounding environment evoke the physical translation of ideas within the human mind.

MATERIALS AND SIZE

Fiber, Colored Lighting, Stainless Steel.
Installation Dimensions: 53 ft. length x 41 ft. width x ft. 16.5 ft. height

CREDITS

Artist: Janet Echelman
Studio Echelman Team: Keith Hartwig, Daniel Smith, Adam Burke, Melissa Henry
Engineering & Installation: Clayton Binkley
Lighting Design: Loisos + Ubbelohde Associates
Architecture: Hill House by Shubin Donaldson
Photography: Janet Echelman, Alex McClave, Bruce Heavin, Clayton Binkley, Lynda Weinman

LOCATION

Private Residence, Montecito, CA