Ecology

I LOVE THE MAN-MADE AND NATURE REALLY BECOMING FUSED

OR BECOMING ONE.

I'D BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN WEATHER PATTERNS

THAT OCCUR BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF ARCHITECTURE.

YOUR DECISION TO MAKE A PHOTOGRAPH

IS A KIND OF SEDUCTION,

AND THE SEDUCTION IS WORKED BY LIGHT.

WE HAVE A TEST AHEAD OF US

IN TERMS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE NATURAL WORLD.

IF WE PASS THE TEST, WE GET TO KEEP THE PLANET,

BUT I DON'T REALLY SEE US

DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF THAT RIGHT NOW.

von Rydingsvard: MY WORK IS SO LABOR INTENSIVE

THAT OFTEN I'M DOING THINGS THAT ARE HIGHLY REPETITIVE

IN ORDER TO GET TO THE END OF THE PIECE OR OF THE PROJECT.

IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY EASY TO HAVE AN IMAGE, YOU KNOW,

BUT TO REALIZE IT IS A BIG DEAL.

AND OFTEN, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS

OF REALIZING AN IMAGE,

IT'S GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE.

IF THAT TANGENT STARTS GOING OFF

IN A PLACE THAT FEELS MORE EXCITING,

THAT'S WHAT I GO WITH.

I GREW UP AS ONE OF SEVEN CHILDREN

IN THE POST WORLD WAR II REFUGEE CAMPS

FOR POLISH PEOPLE IN GERMANY.

MY PARENTS WERE EXTRAORDINARY SURVIVORS,

AND MY HOME WAS ONE IN WHICH WORDS WERE NOT USED VERY OFTEN.

IN FACT, ANYBODY THAT USED TOO MANY WORDS

WAS AUTOMATICALLY SUSPECT.

I DRANK FROM THE WORLD THROUGH VISUAL MEANS.

THAT WAS A HUGE SOURCE OF THE INFORMATION

BY WHICH I LIVED.

I LEARNED YOU SMILE, BUT YOU RATION THAT.

YOU LAUGH, BUT NOT VERY FREQUENTLY,

AND REALLY AT APPROPRIATE TIMES.

AND THAT WORKING HARD WAS THE ANSWER TO LIFE.

I ALMOST THINK OF IT AS THE WAY THAT THE SHAKERS MIGHT LIVE.

WE STAYED IN WOODEN BARRACKS,

RAW WOODEN FLOORS, RAW WOODEN WALLS,

AND RAW WOODEN CEILINGS.

SO SOMEWHERE IN MY BLOOD I'M DIPPING INTO THAT SOURCE.

I BUILD EVERYTHING OUT OF CEDAR.

VERY NEUTRAL.

ALMOST LIKE A PIECE OF PAPER.

WHEN WE BUILD THE SCULPTURE, WE BUILD IT LAYER BY LAYER.

I DRAW THE OUTSIDE LINES OF EACH OF THE PIECES

THAT YOU SEE HERE.

THE CUTTERS CUT THEM.

WE PUT THEM BACK HERE.

WE THEN MARK IT PRECISELY ON THE OUTSIDE.

YOU SEE SOME OF THESE MARKS ON THE OUTSIDE?

AND ON THE INSIDE, ON THE TOP PORTIONS

THESE MARKS ARE ACTUALLY THE MOST PRECISE OF ALL,

SO THAT IF ANY ONE OF THESE PIECES WERE TO BE TOSSED,

OR TO BE LOST, WE COULD FIND THEM

AND PUT THEM BACK WHERE THEY BELONG.

WE BUILD IT AND SCREW IT ALL TOGETHER.

AND THEN WE TAKE IT OFF LAYER BY LAYER BY LAYER

IN ORDER TO GLUE IT LAYER BY LAYER.

THE CUTTERS, BY THE WAY, ARE THE PRINCES OF MY STUDIO.

THERE ARE CUTTERS WHO CUT LYRICALLY,

THERE ARE CUTTERS WHO CUT VERY AGGRESSIVELY,

AND DEPENDING ON WHAT I NEED, THAT'S -- THAT'S WHO I USE.

IN ORDER TO MAKE AN ORGANIC FORM,

YOU NEED TO HAVE MANY, MANY STRAIGHT CUTS.

THE SURFACE IS A KIND OF LANDSCAPE

THAT I GET CARRIED AWAY WITH.

MY DEFINITION OF A LANDSCAPE THAT COULD ALSO HAVE TO DO WITH

A KIND OF PSYCHOLOGICAL LANDSCAPE,

OR AN EMOTIONAL LANDSCAPE.

GRAPHITE IS A VERY, VERY FINE POWDER,

AND BECAUSE IT'S SO FINE,

IT'S ABLE TO GET INTO THE PORES OF THE CEDAR

I REALLY PUT IT ON IN A VERY HEFTY WAY,

SO THAT I REALLY GRIND IT WITH A BRUSH INTO THE SURFACE.

AND THEN I SCOUR THE SURFACE TO FURTHER DEFINE

WHAT I WANTED THE SURFACE TO DO

BECAUSE THAT SURFACE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME

IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING EMOTIONALLY.

I NEVER DO A MODEL,

I NEVER DO DRAWINGS FOR MY WORKS,

BECAUSE THEY CLOSE ME IN.

BECAUSE THEY LIMIT MY OPTIONS.

YOU CAN'T GET TOO PREDICTABLE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE SURPRISES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

IF FOR NOTHING ELSE THAN JUST TO KEEP MY HEAD GOING,

KEEP MY -- MY MIND ALIVE.

BUT I THINK TO HAVE ANY LEVEL OF INTEREST,

YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF COMBAT, YOU KNOW,

THAT'S OCCURRING WITHIN THE WORK.

AND ANGER HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS MOBILIZING FORCE FOR ME.

I'M GRATEFUL TO MY ANGER.

THE CONFRONTATION, IN PART,

LIES WITH MY STRUGGLE WITH THE CEDAR,

I MEAN IT'S ALWAYS TELLING ME WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO,

AND I THINK THAT I'M TRYING TO TELL IT WHAT I WANT IT TO DO.

THIS IS A SCULPTURE

THAT I WANT TO LOOK AS THOUGH IT'S RAVAGED,

AS THOUGH IT'S BEEN KIND OF...BEATEN UP BY LIFE.

ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH CHAOS IS AS INTERESTING

IF NOT MORE SO THAN ORDER.

THIS IS A MACHINE THAT'S MEANT

ONLY FOR METAL, TO GRIND ON TOP OF WOOD,

AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT BURNS ITS SURFACE.

FOR ME, THAT'S WHAT GIVES IT A WHOLE 'NOTHER LANDSCAPE

AND A WHOLE 'NOTHER KIND OF DEPTH.

MINE ARE DEFINITELY NOT UTILITARIAN OBJECTS,

BUT I LEARNED FROM THAT WHICH IS VERNACULAR.

I CONSIDER THESE MY DRAWINGS.

THEY ARE THREE-DIMENSIONAL,

BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY QUITE COMPLICATED

IN TERMS OF ALL OF THE MARKINGS ON THEIR SURFACE.

THIS IS CHALK AND THAT'S GRAPHITE.

IT'S MADE OUT OF WOOD, OUT OF CEDAR OBVIOUSLY,

BUT IT'S STILL LACE,

BECAUSE IT WANDERS IN A WAY THAT'S VERY WAYWARD,

AND IT'S VERY OPEN, YOU CAN SEE THROUGH IT.

I -- I DELIBERATELY, CONSCIOUSLY SET OUT

TO MAKE IT FEEL AND LOOK LIGHT.

I LOVE THE MAN-MADE AND NATURE

KIND OF REALLY BECOMING FUSED OR BECOMING ONE.

FOR THE PROJECT AT MADISON SQUARE PARK

THE URETHANE BONNET, I WANTED A TRANSPARENT LOOK,

A LOOK OF WALLS THAT THE LIGHT WENT THROUGH.

I WANTED A VERY AGITATED SURFACE,

AND THE HOOD THAT IS OVER THE BONNET

IS ALMOST LIKE A LITTLE PORCH.

IT'S VERY ERRATIC, AND IT'S VERY CELEBRATORY,

AND IT NEEDED THAT TRANSLUCENCY OF THE LIGHT.

I THINK THERE WERE 12 MARRIAGES THAT TOOK PLACE

INSIDE THE BONNET.

CERTAINLY THAT PART OF THE PIECE WAS -- WAS A BIG SUCCESS.

I DO HAVE, UH, BOOKS

THAT I'VE WRITTEN IN.

I USE THIS AS A WAY TO TALK TO MYSELF,

AND I WRITE DOWN MY DREAMS,

DOCUMENTING THEM IS ONE OF THE THINGS

THAT MAKES ME FEEL LIGHTER.

I DRAW BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING

THAT I LIKE TO DO, FROM TIME TO TIME.

I'VE NEVER SHOWN MY DRAWINGS, I'M VERY SHY ABOUT MY DRAWINGS,

UH, THEY REALLY ARE MINE.

I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK RIGHT NOW

THAT MAYBE THE BEST DRAWINGS ARE THE ONES

THAT I LEAVE FOR A WHILE.

LET IT GESTATE, BECAUSE AS TIME GOES BY,

IT CAN -- IT BECOMES MORE AND MORE OBVIOUS.

THIS PARTICULAR DRAWING I'VE WORKED ON

FOR -- I THINK OVER A YEAR.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE A PATCHWORK QUILT,

YOU KNOW -- AND I THINK OF THESE THINGS,

NOT REALLY AS SEWING, MAYBE AS --

AS, YOU KNOW, CUTS THAT THE SURGEON THEN SEWS LATER.

I THINK OF THEM AS A KIND OF LANDSCAPE

THAT YOU LOOK AT FROM THE TOP.

THIS PIECE IS THE MOST BAROQUE PIECE

THAT I'VE DONE IN MY LIFE.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE KIND OF LANDSCAPE

YOU FIND ON A HUMAN BODY.

THAT THE INTERIORS OF THESE POUCHES HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT

TO DO WITH DEFINING WHAT THE EXTERIOR DOES.

I WANT PEOPLE TO ENJOY THE VOLUPTUOUSNESS OF THE PIECE.

I WANT THE PIECE TO WALK WITH THEM.

I FEEL THAT ANCHORING THESE STRUCTURES,

AND ANCHORING THESE FORMS IS A PART OF THE POWER

BEHIND HOW IT SPEAKS.

GRAVITY SERVES AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PURPOSE FOR ME.

THIS WALL POCKET HAS A FLAT, FLAT BACK,

BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY CAN EDGE UP AGAINST A WALL.

THERE'S KIND OF A HUMBLENESS TO IT, THERE'S A --

ALMOST AN INTROVERTED FEEL THAT IT HAS.

BUT I NEED THE INSIDE

TO BE AS CAREFULLY CONSIDERED AS THE OUTSIDE.

AND I HAVE THIS IDEA

OF SOMETHING THAT WOULD --

YOU KNOW ALMOST LIKE SOMETHING THAT A BODY COULD EXCAVATE FROM.

YOU KNOW COULD --

COULD SORT OF BE MOLDED WITH, AND THEN ESCAPE FROM.

MY WHOLE CEDAR STUDIO IS LOADED WITH PIECES

THAT ARE UNFINISHED,

AND I NEED ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN MY ENVIRONMENT TO FEED ME,

TO GIVE ME ALWAYS OPTIONS.

NOTHING CAN EXIST IN MY HEAD WITHOUT OPPOSITES,

AND THE OPPOSITES DON'T HAVE TO BE COMPLETE OPPOSITES,

BUT THEY CAN BE THINGS

THAT DON'T ORDINARILY BELONG TOGETHER.

WITHIN A PIECE THAT HAS TREMENDOUS

AMOUNT OF AGITATION AND AGONY,

THERE CAN ALSO BE SOMETHING VERY HUSHED,

AND VERY QUIET, AND VERY LYRICAL,

AND VERY HUMANE.

ALSO WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF SOMETHING THAT FEELS

AS THOUGH IT'S FULL OF VIOLENCE,

THAT WITHIN IT,

ONE CAN HAVE SOMETHING THAT FEELS HUMBLE,

AND THAT FEELS AS THOUGH IT'S CAPABLE

OF SORT OF GIVING YOU A...

[ SPEAKING POLISH ]

YOU KNOW A SORT OF PETTING --

THE CAPACITY OF PETTING YOU ON THE HEAD

IN A MOST GENTLE SORT OF WAY.

Manglano-Ovalle: IF ART FOR ME

IS A PLATFORM FROM WHICH TO SPEAK,

BUT NOT TELL YOU SOMETHING, THAT'S GOOD.

[ WOMAN SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

Manglano-Ovalle: AND IF THAT'S A WAY IN WHICH

I GIVE YOU A PLATFORM

FROM WHICH TO THINK, AND DEBATE IT,

THAT'S EVEN BETTER,

BECAUSE ULTIMATELY ART FOR ME

DOES NOT RESIDE IN THE OBJECT,

IT RESIDES IN WHAT'S SAID ABOUT THE OBJECT.

ALL MY WORK, EVEN THE MOST FORMAL WORK,

HAS...AN UNDERLYING...

POLITICS TO IT.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO REVEAL MY POSITION.

IN LE BAISER OR THE KISS I'M WASHING WINDOWS

IN MIES VAN DER ROHE'S FARNSWORTH HOUSE

OUT IN PLANO, ILLINOIS.

THE CAMERA OUTSIDE IS ALWAYS MIKED

TO THE SOUND OF THE SQUEEGEE ON THE GLASS.

AND IT'S VERY SORT OF AMBIENT IN ONE WAY,

AND THEN VERY PHYSICAL.

THE SQUEEGEE SQUEAKS,

AND SARCASTICALLY KISSES THE BUILDING.

WHENEVER THE CAMERA IS INSIDE THE PANE OF GLASS,

OR INSIDE THE BUILDING,

THERE'S AN ETHEREAL SORT OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC,

WHICH IS A SINGLE MOMENT OF A GUITAR SOLO BY THE BAND KISS,

AND THEN THAT LITTLE GUITAR, NANOSECOND, IS STRETCHED

TO MAKE THE SOUND PIECE OR THE SCORE

FOR ALL THE INTERIOR SHOTS.

I HAVE A STRONG CONNECTION TO ARCHITECTURE IN MY WORK.

AT A VERY YOUNG AGE,

I WAS TAKEN BY MY PARENTS TO SEE MIES'S ARCHITECTURE.

FOR ME, ON ONE LEVEL,

THE PIECE WAS JUST ABOUT VISITING A SHRINE OF MODERNITY.

IT WAS ABOUT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY

TO ACTUALLY TOUCH THE BUILDING.

YOU'RE THREE THINGS AS THE ACTOR.

YOU'RE ARTIST, YOU'RE LABORER, AND YOU'RE ARCHITECT.

YOU'RE ARTIST BECAUSE YOU'RE MAKING THE FILM,

AND BECAUSE SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU'RE WASHING THE WINDOWS,

THE CAMERA IS WATCHING YOUR HAND MAKE A GESTURE,

ALMOST A PAINTING GESTURE ACROSS THE PANE.

YOU'RE ALSO JUST SIMPLY WASHING A WINDOW.

SO IT'S MUNDANE.

AND THEN YOU'RE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING,

TENDING TO ITS FORM, SO YOU'RE THE ARCHITECT.

AND INSIDE IS A YOUNG WOMAN

SPINNING SOME DISCS ON A PLATFORM WITH HEADPHONES,

BEING SEPARATED BY THE THIN SKIN OF TRANSPARENCY.

BUT ULTIMATELY TOTAL SEPARATION.

THE FEMALE ACTOR AT ONE MOMENT IN THE PIECE

ACTUALLY RAISES HER EYES

AND LOOKS STRAIGHT INTO THE CAMERA,

THEREBY LOOKS INTO THE VIEWER OF THE INSTALLATION,

AND ACKNOWLEDGES THEM OR SAYS, "I SEE YOU."

AND THAT'S THE ONE MOMENT FOR ME

THAT SHE'S ABLE TO PENETRATE THROUGH THE ARCHITECTURE.

OF COURSE LE BAISER IS ABOUT LOVE,

BUT IT'S A KIND OF RESTRAINED LOVE.

I THOUGHT THAT WHAT WE WOULD DO IS RUN THROUGH THE EDIT.

THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE IN CHICAGO AUCTIONED OFF

BREAKING THE WINDOWS

AT THE MIES VAN DER ROHE'S CROWN HALL.

THEY WERE GOING TO RENOVATE, PUT NEW GLASS IN.

AS IT TURNS OUT,

THE WINNER OF THE AUCTION IS MIES'S GRANDSON,

WHO IS ALSO AN ARCHITECT.

I WAS INTERESTED IN THIS WHOLE NOTION OF ALMOST LIKE PATRICIDE,

YOU KNOW THE SON BREAKING THE FATHER'S TEMPLE.

THE SHOW IN NEW YORK IS A SHOW THAT I THINK

IS KIND OF DIFFICULT TO NEGOTIATE,

BECAUSE THERE IS NO APPARENT SORT OF COMMON THEME.

I'VE BEEN WANTING TO MAKE THIS UMBRELLA FOR A LONG TIME.

WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT AN UMBRELLA,

THERE'S SO MANY COMPLEX CURVES IN THAT FABRIC.

THERE ARE SO MANY PARABOLIC EQUATIONS.

IT'S VERY MUCH LIKE A FLOWER.

THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST DESIGNS

OUT THERE IN THE WORLD.

I ENLISTED THE HELP OF A FABRICATOR

THAT DOES PROTOTYPES FOR STEALTH BOMBERS.

IT'S CALLED BULLETPROOF UMBRELLA,

AND IT'S EXACTLY THAT.

IT'S MADE OUT OF GRAPHITE, AND KEVLAR,

AND SPACE AGE MATERIALS.

SO I THINK IT ACTUALLY RESPONDS IN MANY WAYS

TO THE CLIMATE OF OUR TIMES,

ALTHOUGH IT DOES IT VERY QUIETLY.

MY MOTHER WOULD FREAK OUT.

SHE'S FROM BOGOTA AND...

AN OPEN UMBRELLA INDOORS IS LIKE BAD LUCK

FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

THE JACK, VERY MUCH LIKE THE UMBRELLA,

TAKES AN EVERYDAY OBJECT, AND SORT OF SCALES IT UP,

AND DEFORMS ONE AXIS OF IT.

WHAT YOU END UP HAVING IS THIS, ALMOST LIKE MISSILE,

THAT POINTS UP

AND ALMOST TOUCHES THE CEILING ITSELF.

THERE ARE MANY CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THESE THINGS,

AND I THINK IT'S JUST, FOR ME,

IMPORTANT NOT TO MAKE IT READILY APPARENT.

THIS SORT OF TROUBLESOME CONDITION

IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.

IN A VERY SORT OF FORMAL SENSE,

THE EXHIBITION IS ALL ABOUT COLOR.

SO THE RED FILM ON THE WINDOW OF THE GALLERY IS A WORK ITSELF.

IT'S CALLED

FROM RED TO ORANGE AND ORANGE TO RED.

GOING FROM HIGH ALERT TO NOT SO HIGH ALERT.

I'VE BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN WEATHER PATTERNS

THAT OCCUR BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF ARCHITECTURE.

IN THE CASE OF RANDOM SKY IN CHICAGO,

THE WEATHER STATION IS OUTSIDE AND TAKES

TEMPERATURE, BAROMETRIC PRESSURE,

WIND SPEED, WIND DIRECTION.

ALL THESE STREAMS OF DATA CONNECT DIRECTLY

TO A SET OF COMPUTERS

THAT ARE RUNNING A PROGRAM

THAT GENERATES THESE BLUE AND WHITE SCAN LINES.

WHEN I DECIDED TO DO THIS PROJECT,

I MET MARK HERELD,

AN ASTROPHYSICIST AT ARGONNE NATIONAL LABS.

I WAS ASKED ORIGINALLY TO HELP THE HYDE PARK ARTS CENTER

FIGURE OUT HOW TO BUILD THIS FAçADE.

WE HAVE A LARGE EFFORT IN WHAT'S CALLED SCIENTIFIC VISUALIZATION,

WE THINK ABOUT WAYS TO SORT OF TAME THESE HERDS OF COMPUTERS

THAT ARE INTENDED TO PRESENT ENVIRONMENTS

THAT ARE LARGE ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE CAN STEP INTO THEM,

BECOME DIRECTLY INVOLVED

WITH WHAT'S BEING PUT OUT ON THE SCREEN.

THE OUTSIDE WORLD

IS COUPLING TO THIS INTERNAL UNIVERSE.

SO THERE IS A KIND OF LITTLE BIT OF A LIVING ECOLOGY THERE.

Manglano-Ovalle: WE GOT TO A CERTAIN POINT

WHERE I NEEDED TO CONSIDER SOUND,

AND IN THIS CASE I WORKED WITH A YOUNG ARTIST

BY THE NAME OF RICK GRIBENAS

WHO IS AN ARTIST AS WELL AS A COMPOSER.

Gribenas: RANDOM SKY IS REALLY JUST AN EXAMINATION

OF THIS BUILDING AND ITS ARCHITECTURE

AND THE SPACE THAT IS CONTAINED WITHIN IT

AND THE SPACE THAT KIND OF SURROUNDS IT.

IT'S DEFINITELY AN EXPLORATION.

IT'S A, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF GREAT LENGTHS

THAT WE AS HUMANS GO TO,

TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND OUR ENVIRONMENT

AND KIND OF ADJUST OUR ENVIRONMENT.

Manglano-Ovalle: RANDOM SKY ADDRESSES THAT IDEA

OF THE ARBITRARY, OR THE RANDOMNESS,

OR THE UNCONTROLLABLE,

THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF OUR DESIRE FOR STABILITY.

CLOUD PROTOTYPE #1 WAS A THUNDERSTORM

THAT WAS CAPTURED

BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES

AT UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

I WATCHED THE THREE DIMENSIONAL DATA DEVELOP AS A STORM,

AND AT A CERTAIN MOMENT I SAID,

"RIGHT THERE, THAT'S THE MOMENT I WANT."

IT'S ABOUT STOPPING TIME.

IT WAS JUST BEFORE THE STORM ERUPTS.

CAPTURING EPHEMERA IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY.

AND IN THE END, YOU REALLY HAVEN'T CAPTURED EPHEMERA,

YOU'VE MADE A SCULPTURE.

THE SPACE BETWEEN THINGS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT OR MORE IMPORTANT

THAN THE SPACE THAT THINGS OCCUPY.

ONCE YOU ENTER THE EXHIBITION,

THIS LITTLE INFRARED VIDEO OF MY SON AT FIVE MONTHS OLD

IS NEGLECTED BY YOU BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU WALK IN,

YOU SEE THE ICEBERG IN THE CLOUD.

ANOTHER SCULPTURE IS SO MINISCULE YOU CAN STEP ON IT,

RED FIST AND IT'S IN A CENTRAL LOCATION,

IT'S DISMISSED BY THE VIEWER.

RED FIST ACTUALLY CAME ABOUT

PLAYING WITH MY SON A YEAR OLD WITH PLAY-DOH,

IT'S ALL ABOUT JUST GRABBING THINGS AND HOLDING THEM.

SO I WOULD ROLL LITTLE BALLS, AND HE WOULD GRAB THEM,

AND HE SQUISHED THEM,

AND HIS HAND WOULD OPEN UP,

AND I WOULD SEE THIS GLORIOUS, LIKE, SHAPE

THAT'S MADE BY HIS FIST.

SEARCH WAS A PIECE

WHERE THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE SITE,

THIS BULLFIGHT RING DOWN IN TIJUANA SORT OF CALLED IT FORTH.

I MEAN THE BULLFIGHT RING ALREADY LOOKED LIKE A SPEAKER

FACING UP INTO THE SKY.

THE BULLFIGHT RING WAS CONVERTED INTO A RADIO TELESCOPE

THAT WOULD SEARCH FOR THE REAL ALIENS

ONLY 50 METERS SOUTH OF THE U.S. BORDER.

AND FOR ME, IT WAS A JOKE.

I WANTED TO DO A PIECE ABOUT ALIENATION

AND ABOUT UFOS, AND ABOUT THE ALIEN,

AND ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

WHEN I FIRST CAME TO UNITED STATES AS A BABY,

YOU KNOW, I CAME IN AS A RESIDENT ALIEN.

AND SEARCH WAS TITLED SEARCH/EN BUSQUEDA,

THE SUBTITLE WAS SEARCHING FOR THE REAL ALIENS.

IN TIJUANA, EVERYBODY FROM CAB DRIVERS TO ARTISTS

TO POLITICIANS GOT THE JOKE.

I GREW UP WITH PARENTS

THAT WERE ALWAYS HAVING TO SHIFT THE FAMILY FROM MADRID TO BOGOTA

TO THE UNITED STATES, SO THE WORLD WAS VERY SMALL

AT A VERY YOUNG AGE,

AND I ALMOST HAD TO LEARN THAT THERE WERE BORDERS.

THE GENERAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATION ASKED ME

TO PROPOSE A WORK

FOR THE IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE BUILDING.

NOW IT'S PART OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

I ACTUALLY LIKE THE IDEA,

BECAUSE A WHOLE HOST OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW

HAVE BEEN THROUGH THAT BUILDING AS WHAT THEY CALL CLIENTS.

SO LA TORMENTA, THESE TWO CLOUDS, OR THE STORM,

THERE'S A KIND OF CRITIQUE THAT'S GOING ON THERE,

BECAUSE IT'S A STORM SYSTEM THAT ARRIVES, AND HISTORICALLY,

ALL WAVES OF IMMIGRATION TO THE U.S. HAVE BEEN STORMS,

AND HAVE GONE THROUGH TURBULENCE, UPON THEIR ARRIVAL,

AND HAVE CAUSED TURBULENCE.

AND ALL OF THOSE WAVES COME WITH A GREAT DEAL OF HOPE

AND A GREAT DEAL OF ANXIETY.

AND THAT'S WHAT A THUNDERSTORM IS.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE AND MOST PRODUCTIVE EVENTS.

IT WAS ABOUT THE DUALITY OF THAT,

AND DUALITY OF HOPE, AND ANXIETY,

AND THE FACT THAT THE PIECE

IN A SENSE, REFLECTS ITS PUBLIC IN A WAY,

YOU KNOW, THAT THEY ARE THE STORM.

LA TORMENTA SOMOS NOSOTROS.

Adams: THE FINAL STRENGTH IN REALLY GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS

IS THAT THEY SUGGEST MORE THAN JUST WHAT THEY SHOW LITERALLY.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND POETRY BOTH CENTER ON METAPHOR.

MY SUBJECT HAS FUNDAMENTALLY,

FOR 40 YEARS, BEEN THE AMERICAN WEST.

THE FIRST SERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHY I DID THAT HAD ANY SUCCESS

TO IT BEGAN IN COLORADO.

LIVING IN COLORADO SPRINGS AT THE TIME,

I STARTED TO PHOTOGRAPH ALONG THE EMERGING SUBURBAN STRIP.

I HIKED AROUND TAKING PICTURES OF THE TRACT HOUSES

AND HIGHWAYS.

I CAME INTO THE DARKROOM,

AND PRINTED THEM, AND I WAS REALLY SURPRISED.

I THOUGHT I WAS TAKING PICTURES OF THINGS THAT I HATED,

BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THESE PICTURES,

THEY WERE UNEXPECTEDLY, DISCONCERTINGLY GLORIOUS,

AND FROM THAT GREW A PROJECT CALLED THE NEW WEST

WHICH REALLY WAS THE FIRST SERIOUS WORK I DID.

I'D LIKE TO DOCUMENT WHAT'S GLORIOUS IN THE WEST,

AND REMAINS GLORIOUS, EVEN DESPITE WHAT WE'VE DONE TO IT.

I'D LIKE TO --

TO BE VERY TRUTHFUL ABOUT THAT,

BUT I ALSO WANT TO SHOW WHAT IS -- WHAT IS DISTURBING,

AND WHAT NEEDS CORRECTION.

THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT,

AND IT'S THE WAY EVERY ARTIST DREAMS OF,

IS TO SHOW IT AT THE SAME TIME IN THE VERY SAME RECTANGLE.

THE EFFORT IS TO FIND THAT PERFECTLY BALANCED FRAME

WHERE EVERYTHING FITS.

IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME AS LIFE, IT'S --

IT'S LIFE SEEN BETTER.

HERE'S A PICTURE OF MINE THAT I'M HAPPY WITH.

THE BOTTOM OF THE PICTURE IS A KIND OF BOWL OF DARK TREES.

IN THIS BOWL, IS THE CITY OF BOULDER,

AND BEYOND IT IS A VIEW OF THE PLAINS.

AND TO ME, THAT'S A SUCCESSFUL PICTURE

BECAUSE IT DOES SUGGEST SOME OF THE CONTRADICTORY NATURE

OF THE WESTERN EXPERIENCE.

SIMILARLY, I TOOK A PICTURE ONCE OF A WOMAN

SILHOUETTED IN TRACT HOUSE WINDOW,

AND IN ONE SENSE THAT'S A PICTURE

OF THE SADDEST KIND OF ISOLATION,

AND MOST INHUMANE BUILDING.

BUT ALSO RAINING DOWN OVER THIS PICTURE ONTO THE ROOF

AND THE LAWN, IS GLORIOUS, HIGH ALTITUDE LIGHT.

THERE'S NO LIGHT LIKE COLORADO,

AND YOU CAN SEE IT IN THIS PICTURE.

IT'S THIS ABSOLUTELY SUBLIME LIGHT.

YOUR DECISION TO MAKE A PHOTOGRAPH

IS A KIND OF SEDUCTION,

AND THE SEDUCTION IS WORKED BY LIGHT.

MANY, MANY TIMES, THOUSANDS OF EXPOSURES,

WERE MADE IN A STATE OF HELPLESSNESS.

I SIMPLY HAD TO DO THAT.

THERE WAS NOTHING COULD KEEP ME FROM PRESSING THE TRIGGER.

MOST OF MY PICTURES OF THE OCEAN

WERE TAKEN FROM THE SOUTH JETTY ON THE OREGON SIDE

OF THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER.

IN FIVE OR TEN MINUTES,

THE WHOLE SURFACE OF THE SEA WOULD CHANGE.

TO RETAKE A LANDSCAPE PICTURE IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

BUT IT'S EVEN MORE SO FOR SEASCAPES.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

IT WAS JUST SURRENDERING YOURSELF TO SOMETHING.

EVERY PHOTOGRAPHER WANTS TO DO BOOKS FOR OBVIOUS REASONS,

THEY REACH A WIDER AUDIENCE THAN EXHIBITIONS DO,

AND THEY ALLOW THE AUDIENCE TO CONSIDER THE WORK

OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.

PUTTING PICTURES NEXT TO EACH OTHER INEVITABLY INFLUENCES

THE NATURE OF BOTH PICTURES.

WE WORK HUNDREDS UPON HUNDREDS OF HOURS.

A MAJOR BOOK WILL REQUIRE THAT IN TERMS OF EDITING,

AND THAT'S WHAT KERSTIN, MY WIFE, HAS HELPED ME WITH --

THAT TOGETHER WITH BEING MY TEXT EDITOR

FOR MY ENTIRE WORKING LIFE AND OUR MARRIED LIFE TOGETHER.

SHE'S THE PERSON WHOM I HAVE ABSOLUTE TRUST IN.

ALMOST EVERY BOOK BEGINS WITH A GIFT,

A PICTURE YOU DIDN'T EXPECT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF SURPRISES IN PHOTOGRAPHY,

AND IF YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN SURPRISES,

YOU SHOULDN'T BE A PHOTOGRAPHER.

IT'S ONE OF THE GREAT, ENLIVENING BLESSINGS OF THE --

OF THE MEDIUM.

AT YOUR BEST, IT TEACHES YOU TO TRY TO REMAIN OPEN TO NEW --

NEW EXPERIENCE BECAUSE THE GIFTS ARE SOMETIMES REALLY EXCITING.

I TOOK PICTURES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

OVER A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS.

THE STRANGE THING IS THAT ALTHOUGH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

OF COURSE STANDS UNDER THIS PALL OF SMOG, NONETHELESS THE LIGHT

THAT FILTERS DOWN THROUGH THAT SMOG IS EXTRAORDINARY.

IT'S AN AMAZINGLY VERDANT IF SOMEWHAT OMINOUS LANDSCAPE.

VERY BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, STILL.

AFTER I SPENT SOME TIME WORKING IN THE -- IN CALIFORNIA,

I THEN BEGAN TO TURN TO THE NORTHWEST.

THE BOOK TURNING BACK

IS FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT DEFORESTATION.

IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF EXHAUSTION OF RESOURCES.

I DO THINK THERE IS INVOLVED AN EXHAUSTION OF SPIRIT.

LOOK AT THAT -- ALL THOSE LITTLE INDUSTRIAL TREES.

NOT A SINGLE TREE IN SIGHT

THAT'S OVER 35, 40 YEARS OLD.

I THINK THE REASON I CARE ABOUT THAT AWFUL PLACE

WAS NOT ONLY THAT IT SAT WITHIN ABOUT SIX FEET OF THE ROAD,

THAT THEY HAD THE TEMERITY TO CUT THIS TREE --

BUT THIS CONTEMPTUOUS BEER CAN.

BOY, DOES THAT CAPTURE WHAT THIS LANDSCAPE DOES TO THE SPIRIT.

IT BRINGS OUT EVERYTHING DESPERATELY CLOSE TO NIHILISM

IN EVERYBODY WHO PASSES BY.

IT'S A BREEDING GROUND FOR CONTEMPT.

SOME OF THE EARLIEST MEMORIES I HAVE OF MY FATHER

ARE OF HIM TEACHING ME HOW TO SAW WOOD AND HAMMER NAILS.

YOU'D LEARN IT EARLY, IT BECOMES MYSTERIOUSLY CENTRAL

AND HELPFUL TO YOUR HEALTH OF SPIRIT.

IT'S MAINLY JUST A WONDERFUL WAY TO RELATE TO THE WORLD

IN ANOTHER WAY, IT'S LIKE YOU MIGHT USE MUSIC.

YOU CAN REMEMBER THINGS IN YOUR HANDS,

AND YOU CAN KNOW THINGS WITH YOUR HANDS

THAT YOU CAN'T KNOW WITH YOUR HEAD.

EDWARD THOMAS OBSERVED THAT PEOPLE AND TREES ARE

QUOTE, "IMPERFECT FRIENDS," UNQUOTE,

CITING THE TRAGIC NATURE OF PEOPLE,

AND THE SILENCE OF TREES.

THERE ARE, HOWEVER, TIMES OF HARMONY,

WITH LOMBARDI POPLARS, FOR INSTANCE,

WHOSE THIRST AND FRAGILITY

MIGHT TEMPT US TO CUT THEM DOWN,

BUT WHOSE BEAUTY GIVES US PAUSE.

THEY SEEM TO SAY WITH US

WHAT WE COULD NOT SAY PERFECTLY BY OURSELVES.

I WILL PRAISE THEE, OH LORD, WITH MY WHOLE HEART.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL POPLAR THAT KERSTIN AND I FOUND

IN THE HIGH DESERT OF OREGON, AND WE SPENT ABOUT EIGHT HOURS

OVER TWO DAYS PHOTOGRAPHING THIS TREE IN DIFFERENT LIGHTS

AT DIFFERENT HOURS.

I HAVE YET TO KNOW ANYBODY

WHO DOES NOT HAVE SOME RESPONSE TO POPLARS.

THERE'S A VOICE.

AND UH, THANK GOODNESS IT'S THERE.

YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVEN'T LOVED A TREE ENOUGH TO, IF NOT HUG IT,

AT LEAST WANT TO WALK UP TO IT AND TOUCH IT,

AS IF YOU'RE TOUCHING A PROFOUND MYSTERY,

IF THAT EXPERIENCE HAS ELUDED YOU, I FEEL BAD FOR YOU.

THIS WAS SUCH A DRAMATIC PLACE.

I THINK BOTH YOU AND I KNEW THAT --

THAT SOMETHING HAD TO COME OUT OF THIS KIND OF

VALLEY OF DEATH,

AND THEN WE FOUND THESE ENORMOUS STUMPS.

AND YOU WENT AND SAT DOWN, AND I THOUGHT, GOD, THERE IT IS.

THERE'S THE POSTURE THAT CONVEYS THE UTTER SORROW ONE FEELS HERE.

WHAT A PLACE.

Kerstin Adams: WELL, WHAT STRIKES ME

IS THE FACT THAT IT'S A BLACK AND WHITE LANDSCAPE,

WITH A TINY FRINGE OF GREEN SOMETIMES.

AND THAT'S HOW I THINK OF THAT PLACE.

Robert Adams: I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY,

THAT'S -- THAT'S ALMOST WHAT IT WAS.

I REMEMBER THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANYTHING POSSIBLE TO SAY,

AND THEN WE READ SOME LINES BY W.S.

MERWIN.

"AFTER AN AGE OF LEAVES AND FEATHERS,

"SOMEONE DEAD THOUGHT OF THIS MOUNTAIN AS MONEY,

"AND CUT THE TREES THAT WERE HERE

"IN THE WIND AND THE RAIN AT NIGHT.

IT IS HARD TO SAY IT."

BEAUTY, WHICH I ADMIT TO BEING IN PURSUIT OF,

IS AN EXTREMELY SUSPECT WORD AMONG MANY IN THE ART WORLD.

BUT I DON'T THINK YOU CAN GET ALONG WITHOUT IT.

IT'S A CONFIRMATION, FRANKLY, OF MEANING IN LIFE.

Dion: I'M VERY MUCH AN ARTIST WHO GETS A LOT FROM THINGS.

I REALLY LOVE THE WORLD OF STUFF.

I AM CONSTANTLY OUT THERE BUYING THINGS,

GOING TO FLEA MARKETS,

AND YARD SALES, AND JUNK STORES,

AND I LIKE TO SURROUND MYSELF

WITH THINGS THAT ARE INSPIRATIONAL.

SOME ARTISTS PAINT, SOME SCULPT, SOME TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS,

AND I SHOP, THAT'S WHAT I DO.

SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS STAY IN THE BARN,

AND SOMETIMES THEY ENTER INTO MY EVERYDAY LIFE,

AND SOMETIMES THEY BECOME PART OF A SCULPTURE, AN INSTALLATION.

I REALLY IDENTIFY WITH THE MISSION OF THE MUSEUM,

WHERE YOU GO TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THINGS.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A MISSION THAT'S VERY CLOSE

TO WHAT SCULPTURE IS ABOUT AND WHAT INSTALLATION IS ABOUT...

AND WHAT FOR ME CONTEMPORARY ART IS ABOUT.

I'M NOT LOOKING FOR THE NEWEST MUSEUM.

I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE OLDEST MUSEUM.

I'M LOOKING FOR MUSEUMS THAT ARE VERY MUCH

A KIND OF WINDOW INTO THE PAST IN A SENSE.

YOU REALLY GET AN IDEA

OF WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT THE NATURAL WORLD

AT A PARTICULAR TIME --

THEIR OBSESSIONS, THEIR SENSIBILITIES, THEIR PREJUDICES.

ALL OF MY IDEAS START HERE, WITH WRITING AND DRAWING

AND SKETCHES, BOTH CONCEPTUAL AND PRACTICAL.

THERE ARE A LOT OF TOOLS THAT THE ARTIST HAS

THAT THE SCIENTIST DOESN'T HAVE.

HUMOR, IRONY, METAPHOR --

THESE ARE SORT OF THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF ARTISTS.

SO YOU HAVE TWO FORMS OF TAR HERE.

ONE THAT'S VERY, VERY LIQUID,

AND THIS ONE, WHICH IS VERY LIKE A PASTE.

IT'S VERY VISCOUS.

WHERE DID THESE RATS COME FROM, MARK?

THESE COME FROM A BIOLOGICAL SUPPLY COMPANY.

THEY HAVE TO READ AS RATS BUT NOT LAB RATS.

THEY TAKE THE TAR VERY WELL, YOU CAN KIND OF GET DIFFERENT

EFFECTS IF YOU GO WITH OR AGAINST THE GRAIN OF THE FUR.

I BET THEY DIDN'T TEACH YOU THIS IN ART SCHOOL.

THIS WORK IS ABOUT

THE INTRODUCTION OF RATS TO PUFFIN ISLAND,

WHICH IS AN ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF WALES.

AS PEOPLE STARTED INCREASINGLY TO VISIT THE ISLAND,

RATS KIND OF TAGGED ALONG,

AND SOON THE PUFFIN COLONY WAS ENTIRELY DESTROYED.

TAR HAS BEEN USED

AS A KIND OF FORM OF PUNISHMENT AND RETRIBUTION

SINCE THE MIDDLE AGES.

IT'S SORT OF THIS NATURAL MATERIAL

THAT HAS THIS HISTORY OF A --

AS A KIND OF EXPRESSION OF INTOLERANCE.

IN THE STATES,

PEOPLE USED TO TAR THE BODIES OF PIRATES AND CONVICTS

WHO WERE EXECUTED, SO THE CORPSES WOULD LAST LONGER

TO FUNCTION AS A WARNING.

IN THE MIDDLE AGES, BOILING TAR WAS USED TO DEFEND THE CITIES.

THEY THREW IT FROM THE PARAPETS.

SO THERE'S ALL SORTS OF ASSOCIATIONS WITH TAR AND --

AND THE KIND OF HISTORY OF INTOLERANCE.

I THINK IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

HOW MANY DO WE HAVE LEFT?

TWO.

TWO LEFT.

THAT FILLS IN THAT SPACE.

OKAY, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT IT FROM A COUPLE PACES AWAY.

THAT'S -- THAT'S PERFECT.

I'M NOT ONE OF THESE ARTISTS WHO IS SPENDING A LOT OF TIME

IMAGINING A BETTER ECOLOGICAL FUTURE.

I'M MORE THE KIND OF ARTIST

WHO IS HOLDING UP A MIRROR TO THE PRESENT.

WE'RE AT THIS KIND OF MOMENT IN TIME

WHERE WE HAVE A GREAT TEST AHEAD OF US

IN TERMS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE NATURAL WORLD.

YOU KNOW, IF WE PASS THE TEST, WE GET TO KEEP THE PLANET.

BUT I DON'T REALLY SEE US

DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF THAT RIGHT NOW.

I'M NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN NATURE.

I'M INTERESTED IN IDEAS ABOUT NATURE.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT MY WORK IS ABOUT,

IS EXAMINING THOSE IDEAS,

WHERE DO THEY COME FROM,

WHAT'S THE HISTORICAL GROUNDWORK FOR THEM?

I THINK FOR MYSELF AND FOR A NUMBER OF ARTISTS,

SCIENCE REALLY FUNCTIONS AS OUR WORLDVIEW.

I MEAN OUR RELATIONSHIP TO SCIENCE IS VERY MUCH LIKE

A RENAISSANCE ARTIST'S RELATIONSHIP TO THEOLOGY.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT I SEE AS PRIMARILY THE JOB

OF CONTEMPORARY ART, IS TO FUNCTION AS A CRITICAL FOIL

TO DOMINANT CULTURE.

WE'RE NOW OUTSIDE OF SEATTLE IN PROTECTED WATERSHED AREA,

AND THIS IS WHERE THE TREE IS COMING FROM

FOR THE SEATTLE VIVARIUM.

IT'S A VERY LARGE HEMLOCK

WHICH FELL ON THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 8, 1996.

IN SOME WAY I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE

THE WONDER OF JUST THE VAST COMPLEXITY AND DIVERSITY

WITHIN A NATURAL SYSTEM.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TEAMS COLLECTING DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO YVONNE AND DANA ARE GOING TO WORK ON THE HERBARIUMS.

LAURIE, YOU'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON FUNGI, OKAY?

AND RENEE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF INSECTS.

Woman: I'M A WILDLIFE SCIENCE MAJOR.

I'M WRITING THE FIELD GUIDE FOR THE LOG TO HELP PEOPLE

KIND OF GET A SENSE OF WHAT THE LOG IS ABOUT.

IT'LL BRIEFLY DOCUMENT

KIND OF SOME OF THE ECOLOGY OF THE DIFFERENT SPECIES.

Dion: WE'LL HAVE THE REAL SOIL THAT CAME FROM AROUND THE TREE.

WE'LL HAVE SOME OF THE MOSSES, SOME OF THE FERNS,

SOME OF THE KIND OF SIMPLE PLANTS, LOTS OF THE FUNGI.

IF YOU CAN PRESERVE THIS BIRD'S NEST --

OH, YEAH, I SEE IT.

IT'S A SMALL MAYBE A WREN OR A -- OR A HUMMINGBIRD,

IF WE CAN KEEP THAT, I THINK WE'LL REALLY BE IN GOOD SHAPE.

THERE'S ALL KINDS OF OTHER STUFF IN HERE, OF COURSE,

THAT'S FALLEN FROM THE FOREST CANOPY AND IS TRAPPED IN HERE.

SO WE MIGHT HAVE HEMLOCK SEEDS,

OR A WHOLE VARIETY OF THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THIS MOSS.

ON THE TREE IS THE BASIS OF THE NEXT FOREST.

THE TREE SUPPORTS A LIVING BIOSYSTEM WITHIN IT.

THERE IS A KIND OF ASPECT OF THIS PIECE

THAT IS OPTIMISTIC IN A SENSE.

THE TREE IS GIVING LIFE THROUGH ITS DEATH.

HOW'S IT LOOKING?

OKAY.

Man: IT'S SAID THAT WHEN THESE BIG TREES FALL TO THE GROUND,

ONLY HALF THEIR LIFE IS OVER.

AND FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE LIFE

THEY SUPPORT HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT ORGANISMS,

AND THEN THEY'RE BACK TO SOIL AND IT STARTS OVER AGAIN.

IT'S AMAZING.

Dion: THAT'S PART OF THE EXCITEMENT OF THIS PIECE,

IS ONCE IT'S FINISHED, IT'S JUST STARTING.

Man: HOLD ON THAT, DOUG -- OVER THAT WAY.

Dion: JUST LOOK AT HOW BRILLIANT IT LOOKS ALREADY.

YOU KNOW WE'VE JUST DONE THIS SIMPLE THING

OF TAKING OUT OF ITS PLACE, AND ALREADY IT'S SOMETHING ELSE.

IN A SENSE WHAT I'M DOING IS,

I'M BRINGING A FORGOTTEN ELEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

BACK INTO THE CITY,

TAKING SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE EXISTED HERE

A VERY LONG TIME AGO, AND I'M RETURNING IT

TO THE SITE, ALMOST A KIND OF REMINDER.

Man: WE'RE JUST AS A COMMUNITY REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

THIS USED TO BE A HAZARDOUS WASTE SITE,

AND AS YOU CAN SEE NOW, IT'S QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A PUBLIC SPACE,

FOCUSED ON ART, AND PRIMARILY SCULPTURE.

Dion: IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE TREE FROM THE HEAT

OF DAYS LIKE THIS, WE NEED TO BUILD A SHELTER FOR IT.

THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR BIG JOBS,

NOT ONLY PUTTING THE TREE IN PLACE TODAY,

BUT ALSO WE HAVE TO BUILD A KIND OF STRUCTURE AROUND

THAT'S GOING TO SHIELD IT FROM THE SUN SO WE'RE NOT KILLING OFF

ALL THE COMMUNITIES THAT THIS PLACE IS MEANT TO FOSTER.

WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS,

IT'S REALLY LIKE DIRECTING A FILM.

WE WORKED WITH ADVISORS, WITH SOIL SCIENTISTS,

WITH BIOLOGISTS, AND WITH ARCHITECTS.

SO THERE'S LIKE A HUGE TEAM OF PEOPLE.

I WANT TO SEE HERE HOW IT'S GOING TO LINE UP.

ONCE WE GET IT DOWN,

WE'RE NOT GOING TO EVER MOVE IT AGAIN.

IT HAS TO FIT THE BUILDING PERFECTLY,

SO IT'S REALLY NECESSARY THAT WE GET IT RIGHT.

I THINK YOU MEASURED PRETTY WELL.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A GLASS WINDOW HERE,

SO WE COULD DO A STRAIGHT CUT.

THIS IS A PIECE THAT REALLY IS IN SOME WAY PERVERSE.

TOWARD YOU, TOWARD YOU A LITTLE BIT STILL.

IT REALLY SHOWS THAT DESPITE ALL OF OUR TECHNOLOGY,

DESPITE ALL OF OUR MONEY,

WHEN WE DESTROY A NATURAL SYSTEM,

IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IT BACK.

YEAH, A LITTLE BIT.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLY INTERESTING HYBRID SPACE

THAT WE'RE PUTTING THIS TREE INTO,

WHICH IS SOMETHING LIKE A SHOWROOM,

SOMETHING LIKE A CLASSROOM, AND SOMETHING LIKE A LABORATORY.

IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THE CULMINATION

OF FIVE YEARS OF RESEARCH, PLANNING, COMPROMISING,

AND FINALLY HAVE SOME KIND OF TRIUMPH IN A WAY.

I WORKED A LOT ON DESIGNING THE BUILDING

TO HAVE A PARTICULAR KIND OF FORCED PERSPECTIVE.

IT'S A TRIANGULAR BUILDING AND YOU ENTER THROUGH THE NOSE

OF THE TRIANGLE, THE NARROWEST POINT.

AND WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THOSE DOORS,

YOU ARE IN A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF PLACE,

A REALLY FANTASTICAL PLACE.

I WANTED TO HAVE THIS ALICE THROUGH THE RABBIT HOLE EFFECT.

I'M TRYING TO MOTIVATE THROUGH A SENSE OF THE MARVELOUS,

THROUGH A SENSE OF THE WONDERFUL.

THIS IS NOT A NATURAL SPACE.

THIS IS REALLY A VERY PARTICULAR KIND OF GARDEN

THAT WE'RE MAKING.

WE HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE APPARATUS

OF A WATER CATCHMENT SYSTEM,

AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS,

COOLING SYSTEMS,

PANELS TO CONTROL THE LIGHT LEVELS,

THE GLASS TO REPLICATE THE COLOR SPECTRUM THAT YOU HAVE

UNDER THE CANOPY.

WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFICULTY OF REPLICATING

WHAT NATURE CAN DO.

A NUMBER OF TILES WERE PRODUCED

BY SOME LOCAL WILDLIFE ILLUSTRATORS.

ON THOSE TILES ARE THE ORGANISMS THAT LIVE IN, ON,

AND AROUND THE TREE,

YOU KNOW, SORT OF LOVINGLY DEPICTED.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE EARLY DRAWINGS.

THERE'S ALSO ONE OF THE SCHEMES

FOR THE RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEM.

THERE ARE SOME OF THE TOOLS

THAT WE USED IN OUR COLLECTING EXPEDITIONS.

AND I WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD EXIST

OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME THAT PEOPLE COULD COME TO,

AND THEY COULD BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO,

AND THEIR CHILDREN COULD BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO.

AND EVERY TIME YOU WALK THROUGH THE DOOR,

YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

THAT WAS REALLY MY GOAL IN THIS PIECE,

TO EMPHASIZE NATURE AS A PROCESS.

I REALLY EXPECT THAT YOU LEAVE THIS PLACE

MAYBE WITH MORE QUESTIONS THAN YOU COME IN.

ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT BEING A PART OF THE PARK

IS THAT, YOU KNOW, HERE THERE ARE

THESE AMAZING MASTERS OF SCULPTURE.

THAT'S A LOT TO LIVE UP TO.

FOR ME, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN INTIMIDATING SITUATION,

BUT IT ALSO REALLY DID RAISE THE BAR FOR ME

WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT TO DO HERE.

THIS IS A WORK OF ART DEALING WITH A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES

BUT WITH A VERY DIFFERENT TOOLBOX.

MAKING A PIECE LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW,

IT'S LIKE HAVING A KID.

THIS IS A KIND OF A LIFETIME COMMITMENT.

IT'S A LIVING ARTWORK,

AND WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THAT DYNAMIC.

IT'S EXCITING.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT

"art:21 -- ART IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY,"

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PLEASE VISIT US ONLINE AT pbs.org.

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