by Aaron Butts
A mysterious structure appeared at the front gates of Capital the other day. A mysterious structure made of snow fence, serving as a second gate parallel to the standing Capital gate.
The appearance of this structure is no paranormal happening; it is instead the latest sculpture done by the artist Dennison Griffith, an artist at the Hammon Harkins Gallery on Main Street and president of the Columbus College of Art and design.
Although the sight of this out front of Blackmore Library might have been puzzling for many students, this has been the culmination of a great deal of cooperation between many different entities.
“President Dennison W. Griffith will have his newest temporary abstract artwork on display at Capital University,” Nichole Johnson, director of media relations, said in a release recently. “The site-specific project is a collaborative effort, and participants include Capital University’s Schumacher Gallery, Hammond Harkins Galleries and CCAD.”
This installment at the gates is just another method in which the administration of Capital is reaching out to the surrounding communities and attempting to build relationships with other organizations.
“The installation will be made of snow fence,” Johnson said. “It will be removed by Dec. 7, 2012. The project supports ongoing university efforts to enrich student life, enhance the academic experience, build relationships and connect to the community.”
Accompanying his piece at the gates is an exhibition taking place at Hammon Harkins Gallery across the street.
“The entire exhibition space of Hammond Harkins Galleries will be devoted to three new bodies of work brought together for the first time for public view. Through large and domestic scale encaustic paintings, works on paper, and photographs taken with an iPhone, Griffith explores the creative act of mark making while expanding his visual vocabulary.”
The installation of this piece compliments the gallery across the street, which is featured, along with the current exhibit on the Presidents by the Associated Press, in the Schumacher gallery.
“The completion of the artwork will coincide with the opening of Griffith’s painting exhibition at Hammond Harkins Galleries, the opening of The American President at the Schumacher Gallery and The Bexley Art Walk,” Johnson said.
To adequately describe the art installation, a plaque sitting between the gates and the installment says: “Works like this one here are created after Griffith studies a site and develops a design plan that takes into account topography, plantings, and architectural features. In this instance the installation mirrors the campus gates and surrounding landscape beds, offering pedestrians a secondary, poetic entryway to campus.”
The installment is a piece that interacts with the environment in which it occupies by conforming its surroundings. By becoming a part of the environment itself, it offers the ability of interaction to the public. This is precisely what the artist intended for his work.
The structure itself is just the latest piece to be done by Griffith. A full gallery of previous exhibits can be seen on his website, sharing the same characteristic of being made entirely by snow fence.
On the bottom of the plaque it reads “Viewers are invited to walk in and around the piece.” However, those that wish to view it might want to refrain from compromising its stability.
abutts@capital.edu
