Client: Burning Man Arts

Overview

Compound I/eye : The eye as instrument of reflection and the ‘I’ as object of reflection; boundaries blur between perspectives of inner and outer, personal and collective, to convey a picture of interconnectedness, with us as facets of a compound ” I. “Compound I” is like a totemic pillar of orbs, with reflected light undulating its mirrored spheres, surfaced with lens-like convex mirrors, stack one atop the other to a height of 18’, referencing insect eyes, Buddha silhouettes and the Mandelbrot fractal at once, all symbols of perspective and connection.

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Goals

This sculpture spanned two inspirations, connected in several versions and iterations: twice in shorter/Mandelbrot silhouette for Burning Man 2012, then the extended Buddha silhouette version for Burning Man 2015, a three year install in the Nevada Discovery Museum, an extended version with new lighting for Burning Man 2015, and a 6-month exhibition at the Hermitage Museum & Gardens in Norfolk VA and a 6-month install at the San Francisco Exploratorium in 2021.

Process

I determined the proportions of the spherical frame and because I wanted the frame to be modular for ease of transport and assembly without heavy machinery, I located a Bay Area geodesic dome-making company with a request to configure a custom door and adapted the upper and lower sections of the sphere for support and stability. For the second, extended version in 2015, a boom lift was necessary in order thread the spheres onto the spire and adjust the lighting at the top. I created the design/pattern by hand, solo. It can be assembled slowly by two people, or more quickly with 8-12 crew.

Additional Information

There were a combination of inspirations that inspired this sculpture, so I created two related versions: in 2012, I created one that silhouetted the Mandelbrot fractal, while in 2015 I created an extended version that reflected the sihouettes of contemplative structures of India/SE Asia, where I lived for 20 years.