Client: Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority

Location: Columbus, OH, United States

Completion date: 2017

Artwork budget: $1,400,000

Project Team

Artist

Matthew Mohr

Matthew Mohr Studios

Other

Jeff Grantz

Design Communications Limited

Client

Don Brown

Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority

Overview

“As We Are” is a fourteen-foot, 3-D universal human head made from ribbons of ultra-bright, LED screens. In the back of the neck is a photo booth capable of taking 3D pictures. Once a visitor has their picture taken, they step out of the booth and their head is displayed on the giant head.

Goals

The sculpture addresses the relationship between self and representation of self, asking the subject of the portrait to reconsider presence through magnification. It is intended to provide amusement and evoke larger discussions around the phenomena of social media, diversity, and the power dynamic of public art.

Process

Matthew Mohr outlined the design and interface and it was engineered and fabricated by Design Communications Limited in Boston. Imaging by Direct Dimensions, interface by Creosphere. Screens were custom made by Sansi North America.

Additional Information

The height of the sculpture is 14’ tall The finished piece weighs over 7200Lbs. There are over 850,000 individual LEDs. There are 29 cameras taking a simultaneous picture of the visitor’s face. During the day, the sculpture faces into the atrium. At night, it rotates to face outward to the street.