Charles Ross Presentation G. Marsh 4.16.2014 1. art is the concrete to math the abstract minimalism, landart (but his works are about the sky) time theme 2. 3. 20 yrs old, left Pennsylvania for Berkley, CA undergrad in math, grad in art art started in 60s, they began as assemblages of trash material became quite large, utilizing monumental junk wood, steel and discarded ships 4. that same decade he joined Anna Halprin’s Dance Workshop in SF (she’s a sculptor and performer) Ross made objects for the dancers to move around He also collaborated with the Judson Dancers 5. 6. Then he has a life altering "prism dream” 1965 Dream where he built a prism; transparent acrylic coated with an abrasion resistant material filled with a clear liquid of secret chemical composition he scrapped all his other work and moved to NYC 7. 8. 9. in his first prism show, the catalogue had an obituary for Ross’ aesthetic death 1966 Dilexi Gallery SF “Spirals, Columns, Lenses, Prisms" prisms were a way to materialize light reflection, distortion, fragmentation, dislocation 10. they are considered minimalist because they intervene in a place to create the greatest effect by shifting perception of place and self. the wold appears trapped within also common to the minimalist tradition, the works are about the space around them 11. 12. Muybridge Wall 1971 Model and Peter Campus walking behind Muybridge Wall 13. 14. “The lived perspective, that which we actually perceive, is not a geometric or a photographic one” phenomenology of the soul Cezanne and Merleau-Ponty Starting in 1969, he makes these prisms as obj- transmitters of light to make site specific installations of light and color 17. Fresnel Lens paint on wood keeps residual smoke back to source - capturing raw power time and energy in 3D vsualization 18. each has a unique burn, bc of weather changes and variation of sun crossing sky throughout the year 19. series Sunlight Subtraction/Anti-Sun “Year of Solar Burns” Salon Vert at Chateau d’Oiron Solar Burn Spiral on the floor 21. God Number: 137. 137 panels ea burned for 8 min 19 sec (sun to earth time) colors of the sun white yellow vermillion blue rose 5 pieces total, wants them to be shown in a pentagonal room 23. collect the imprint of the stars on a flat sheet of paper without stretching or distorting the space
between in any way 2D maps of universe made from 428 photos from Falkan Atlas (1960s) Perspective of someone looking from the center of the earth 25. exploded pigment drawings visualize the interaction of light and matter 26. 27. he’s inspired by Richard Feynman diagrams that illustrate particle physics 28. visualizations of light interacting with matter physicality of light not illustrations but iconic portraits of the invisible 30. in 1979 his work shifts from object to space oriented first installation at Deitrich Foundation, Philidelphia This image is of a later installation, its huge, at the Spectrum Building in Denver, CO It captures the winter and sum solstice, equinox as well as mid sum and winter 32. Biggest! Dwan Light Sanctuary (includes lunar spectrum w/ full moons) 1996 The Dwan Light Sanctuary was designed by Virginia Dwan, Charles Ross, and Laban Wingert in 1996. The circular building features twelve large prisms in the apses and ceiling which spread rainbows across the floor and walls of the interior. The Dwan Light Sanctuary serves both the UWC-USA campus In addition to serving as an accessible meditative space for quiet contemplation, the Dwan Light Sanctuary provides a space for • Weekly Yoga • Weekly Summer Concerts (classical and meditative guitar) • Special Concerts throughout the year • Weddings • Memorials • Religious Ceremonies and Celebrations (Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Native American, and Sufi) • Sound Healing • Restorative Justice Healing Circles • Poetry Readings 36. Name refers to axis on which the earth rotates that points to the north star Polaris Inspired by Great Pyramids 37. Conceived of in 1971. Tell story of finding the land with W.O Culberton, rancher Site criterion: earth to ground the feet, horizon at ones middle, and head in the sky Near Santa Fe, NM Took five years for 1975-1980 to excavate the conceal wedge 38. 39. Built out of pink granite from Texas and sand stone found on the mesa Meant to be bodily experienced at night and day relive the experience of our ancestors as they discovered the stars and began to grasp the meaning of history Guest house for 4-6 planned, with safe that will open in the early hours of the morning to allow people to read the piece description. This control over information is so that the experience remains mystical rather than didactic. 40. Solar Pyramid highest point, 52’ tall angles determined by solstices
the shadow of the pyramid throughout the year is contained in the bowed shape of the Shadow Field “As I contemplate the blue of the sky… I abandon myself to it and plunge into this mystery, it “thinks itself with me”, i am the sky myself as it is drawn together and united, and as it begins to exist for itself; my consciousness is saturated with this limitless blue” Merleau-Ponty 41. Hour Chamber is inside Solar Pyramid Polaris is at apex, takes stars 1 hour to cross the triangle 42. Star Tunnel 190 steps, 11 stories enter through equatorial chamber Equitorial Chamber frames stars directly above equator 43. circular opening at top is the circular orbit of Polaris around the axis of earth’s rotation Each step has a new perspective size of the hole, which corresponds to the degree offset of Polaris at two times: one past and one future Each step becomes a walk through layers of celestial time; whole body experience
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