Denali Wind Artwork


Artists Melanie Walker and George Peters

 

The Jury established for the Denali Replacement Elementary School has chosen artists George Peters and Melanie Walker, Boulder, CO to create artwork for the school.

A statement from the artist team:

"We believe that public artwork should reflect a character of place, make a positive influence on the people that use and inhabit these areas, create an integrated platform for art in our public spaces and make our living, playing and working spaces a mix of color, culture and heart."

 

DENALI WIND

Description: Suspended, translucent shapes of Lexan polycarbonate, painted with gradated enamel color will span main entry corridor, a secondary hallway and the library. Designs will be painted on the hallway walls and thin steel sheets and masonite will coat the walls. The suspended objects will move with the air currents. Denali Wind will be continued to the exterior of the school as well. Exterior ceramic tiles will be inset into the wall on the west end of the building along with poles with flags and banners attached. Artistic wind vanes will be placed on guard rails on the roof.

M O B I L E S

"The mobiles are generally simple shapes that take advantage of the inherent gentle air currents within interior spaces. They move gently and add another dimension to the aerial art works themselves. The use of light weight materials and friction free ball bearing swivels keeps the works in constant slow motion. The mobiles can create a calming effect to high activity areas bringing a sense of grace and motion to the interior space. In this section there are examples that show how the mobile sculptures interact and compliment the architectural spaces. Through shadow play, transparencies and light reflections, the works extend their influence and context, creating an environmental play of color and light to the surrounding areas."

W I N D

"A work that interacts with the environment by using the air and wind patterns is infinitely more active to the imagination than static works. By using the wind we make the invisible influence give life to forms. The awareness of the wind gives us a connection to nature in a world that seems to have forgotten the importance of the air around us. We design wind vane sculptures as well as banners and flags to play in the breezes. In some cultures around the world it is considered a good luck charm to commune with the nature spirits by using the wind in such a way. The sculptures and banners seen here are a small example of these works for outdoor environments."

A E R I A L

"By using forms and materials that create a weightless effect overhead the works can create a mood for the entry areas and atriums that actually change perceptions and attitude of the people who visit and work in the buildings. They make people look up. The works inspire a play with the light and special qualities of large overhead areas. Most of the works seen here are stabile forms that hang within the aerial spaces. The hangings are based on kite forms, bridges, works from the natural realm, abstract and colorful patterned shapes."
Visit the Airworks web site

Images on this page are copyrighted by Airworks.
All quotes are from the Airworks web site.
Thanks George and Melanie!

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