Proposal

As a recent arrival in Madison, I have become interested in its particular geographical situation and what local historian David Mollenhoff has singled out as the most important factor contributing to its uniqueness: it’s lakes. I have especially become interested in the fact that these green, cloudy lakes were once described as being so clear that one could “see the drifts of white sand far down to the transparent depths.”

In an attempt to make visible again those sandy drifts, I am proposing to invert the frozen lakes, or (more easily) construct a model of the inverted lakes, based on topographical readings of the lakes bottom, in ice, along the Yahara River that connects the two bodies of water. This model will not only reveal the once visible but now hidden topography of our greatest geographic feature, but, by inverting the immense negative space of the lakes, it will simultaneously re-imagine the town nestled in a valley between two looming hills.

In playing with these familiar yet strange elevations, the piece questions the link between the geography and the psyche of the town and it’s inhabitants. It’s attempt at re-envisioning a lost clarity through inversion poignantly asks what it would be like to live in a Madison without being sandwiched between two beautiful lakes.

Using ice as the medium to realize the sculpture not only physically links it with the actual topography it is modeling in material, color and origin; it will also set up a condition that will mirror the actual historical situation: the clarity of form that the sculpture makes visible will dissipate with changing environmental conditions, melting with the seasonal rise in temperature. Its deterioration poetically ties our community’s most treasured asset to larger environmental concerns: changing climates, melting ice and degrading water quality.

Mold for first layer of Inverted Lakes along the Yahara River Parkway, more images of the construction here.

Construction of Inverted Lakes was completed on January 28th, 2008. It remained on site until it completely melted on March 31st.

Location

The sculpture was located along the bike path that follows the Yahara River, between Main St. and Williamson St.

Press for Inverted Lakes and other BLINK grant recipients

2/22/08 Wisconsin State Journal article

1/11/08 Isthmus article

1/4/08 Isthmus article

12/18/07 Madison Arts Commission Press Release

This project was funded by the Madison Arts Commission and Solidline Media