Taubman College Wes McGee, Catie Newell, and Aaron Willette install “Specimen” at SiTE:Lab’s ArtPrize
FABLab Director Wes McGee, Assistant Professor Catie Newell, and Master of Science in Materials Systems candidate Aaron Willette, along with the help of M.Arch student Grant Weaver recently installed Specimen at the SiTE:Lab’s ArtPrize Venue.
Specimen furthers the work the team completed as Glass Cast for the 2011-2012 Research Through Making grant. Made of glass, the work is constructed through a process of free form catenary slumping fabricated in the team’s custom kiln. Each piece of the work is subjected to its own temperature and duration setting providing variation in curvature and detail throughout the entire project. Lit from above the curvatures of each piece reflect the simple custom fluorescent light embedded ceiling supporting overhead. The resultant is a kaleidoscope-like effect of its surrounds, daring light to move around the space in two layers of different grains of reflection. The work is placed in the old Nature’s Medley Hall of the old Public Museum surrounded by encased specimens of insects and plants. The glass cases of the abandoned specimens reflect the work as a whole giving a sense of numerous Specimens in the space. Hovering, the visitor can walk around the work.
More information about SPECIMEN and its location can be found here:
artprize.org/wes-mcgee-and-catie-newell/2012/specimen
