Two suspended art installations are suspended inside the two ‘glass boxes’ of the third floor atrium space. The first 32 ft.-high installation represents a stem, which is composed of letters spelling out the word — s-t-e-m — in reference to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the very disciplines housed in the new facility. The stem culminates in Minnesota’s state flower, The Lady Slipper.
The second, larger ‘glass box’ installation is approximately 22 ft.-tall and appears as a colorful ‘cloud’ hovering overhead. This installation consists of four dichroic glass panels and four ‘flower petals.’ Glass panels symbolically represent engineering drawings at different stages of development. Imbedded in one of the installation panels is a photovoltaic cell.
The installations are made of mixed materials, but they share a vivid dichroic effect. The installations — like ‘bonded’ elements — visually bring together different parts of the building and speak to the interconnection between the different people working inside.
Commissioned for the State of Minnesota on behalf of St. Cloud University under the Minnesota Percent for Art Act.
Team:
Alexander Tylevich, artist
RRTL Architects
BKBM Engineers
Peters Glass Studio
