Christina Smith
Daily Egyptian
A Chicago sculptor will create a wind-powered metal
mobile to hang as the main piece of art in Morris Library after its
renovation is complete.
A committee of library officials, campus representatives and community
members chose Chicago sculptor Evan Lewis to create piece for the
library, which will hang in the lobby of the north entrance.
The piece will be completed by the time the building expansion is
finished in July 2008. It will hang in the two-story, glass lobby of
the north entrance and will visible from the outside and the inside of
the building.
"I am really happy to have gotten the commission and am excited about it," Lewis said.
The sculpture is an aluminum and steel mobile containing an exterior
and an interior piece. The interior piece will move as changes in wind
speed or direction cause the exterior piece to shift. For every turn of
the exterior piece, there will be one-eighth of a turn of the interior
piece, because there is a reduction of speed between the exterior and
the interior, Lewis said.
The diameter of the exterior piece is 24 feet and the diameter of the
interior piece is 36 feet and will move in a cylinder that has a
diameter of 16 feet, Lewis said.
"The dimensions are vertical dimensions and the interior piece will
hang from the ceiling to about 11 feet off of the ground, while the
exterior piece is made up of 4 components that are each 6 feet long,"
Lewis said.
Lewis has created similar wind-powered kinetic pieces in the last 20 years and operates his own company, Evan Lewis, Inc.
Lewis said the challenge of the library commission was to create a
piece with a connected exterior and interior, while considering the
shape of the building.
"Choosing an artist is an important part of the renovation and we
wanted to give it time and attention to make sure plans for the artwork
were included in the architecture plans," Director of Library Affairs
David Carlson said.
The Illinois Capital Development Board is funding the project. State
law requires that all building projects involving state funding include
a piece of artwork. The Capital Development Board sets aside one-half
of one percent of a construction budget to pay for artwork. Evan's
piece will cost $125,000.
Reporter Christina Smith can be reached at
christina_smith@dailyegyptian.com
