rane 8

Monuments, cont.

buile out of adobe, wood and rock, The
adobe is built, and the small white rocks chat
create the circle che adobe x sits in seem
perfect reflectors of Texas's harsh light-

The images of his work are breathtaking ;
an earth and adobe spiral dug inte che side
of a grassy hill is planted with small trees. It
is only upon climbing the hill thar che
VICWeE©r 1s rewarded with the entire pacture.
In another work, four ciled arches are
connected by mutded brick columns. They
stand in the midst of an arid wilderness, a
fragment of an imaginary civilization, The
next slide shows six pillars, extending from a
spiral, mosaic path embedded in green grass.
Each pillar terminates in two short, curved
ATMS, SUBYESINE both the arches thar might
have joined chem and a human torso.

His work is architectural in scale. Not as
large as the giant, winged bulls that formed
the gates of ancienc Babylon, it is built to
invite human interaction, rather than
intimidate. The five arches lined up in a
row, ivy already scarting to rwine around
chem, invite you to step through them.
Pechaps you will emerge not once the grassy
slope, but inte some ancient pagan world.

The other form he uses ts a poinry arch,
strongly reminiscent of a gothic church.
His forms embrace the Celnc, Greco-
Roman and Christian hely places, yet

sumest Faith and mort cescorime.

“Reverent spaces are whit these are for
me.” reflects Harrison. “There is a
spiritual context for me in all my work on
alurger scale, | didn't grow up with this
attitude in my home, bur have now
discoverd a need. The archway and space

involved form a kind of sanctuary for me."

Galleries also need sanctuaries.
Increasingly, Harrison has found himself
making installations for indoor spaces. At
first, he found ie difficule and simply
transposed his outdoor concerns inside,
But when he began planning an exhibiton
for the Holter Museum in Helena,
Montana, he had a revelation. A gallery
offered full control of che viewers
expenence. The light, sound, first view,
movement around and even air
temperature could be controlled.

“Finally it dawned on me that [ could,
through the orchestration of light and
space, force viewers bo see things ima
certain way and at the same time
encourage them to participare more fully
Of 2 percept ual level, in the creation of
this little world, or many parallel worlds,”

Te was also with the exhibition
Art/Architecture thar he began to explore
the we of orher maretials Had he huile
everything with clay, chere was a very real
question of the gallery floor collapsing.
He used styofoam, paper fiber, slip cast
carthenware, gold-leaf, oxides, adobe and
steel co create che sculptures chat filled he

Historical Fragmants Adobe, Stucco,

gallery. But even as he seemed to move as
far from clay as he possibly could, the
spiral earthenware shell forms evoked the
wheel, “That's what making pots is all
about,” he says, “spinning, turning, the
wheel, the spiral...”

This summer he is looking forward ta
being outside again, “the opportunity
work in a new environment, brimming
with stimulation and its own set of
Parameters, gets the creative juices
flowine.!!"

He goes on to say

“A rare and golden opportunity exists here
to work and discuss theory and practicum
in the studios at ECLAD, and then move
ouc, into the field and work on-site at
Sumas Clay Products. | have been
fortunate to have had the experience of
working at a number of brick/clay product
factories and, from my perspective, these
sites offer tremendous stimulation and
eprormuntities.”

He continues “Most people are incrigued
with the idea of working in a large-scale,
site-specific direction. Working with =
small budger, you too can build
maoriumertal works in your own backyard,
or start your own sculpture garden or
park! Covering a wide variery of building
materials, and working ideas up quickly,
the sky's the limit. Come join us this
ummer and explore your own large-scale
desires!"

Information compiled by Keren Opas. For
move informasion on Robert Harrison's
workshop, call (604)844 - 2800,

Robert Harrison