Almanac, 2016
Reclaimed barn lumber.
9' x 9' x 5'
Almanac is one of four sculptures from my 2016 MFA thesis exhibition titled 'Rural Decay Almanac' at the University of Maryland College Park Art Gallery. The following is an excerpt from my written thesis.
Like a trundle wheel - a contractor tool used for measuring distances dating back to the 17th century - Almanac maps out a circle on a large plot of land. On flat ground, the ring it makes would be 200 feet in diameter and 628 feet in circumference. The track of sheet metal roofing material depicts this line.
The trundle wheel uses its circumference as a unit for measure - each time the ring does one revolution, the distance travelled is equal to the circumference of the ring. This is a rudimentary measuring tool that provides a rough estimate of distance. In the gallery, Almanac suggests a space - perhaps outdoor - physically penetrating the white-cube and marrying the outside with interior space. The term Almanac is referenced here as a published notice of information regarding the orbit, phases, and timeline of the sun, moon, and other celestial bodies. The Almanac helps farmers with things like weather forecasts, planting dates, and tide tables. The object in the gallery is meant to reference a sense of measure, mapping out a space bigger than the gallery, even connected to an orbital map suggested in the cosmos.