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Identification and Creation

Object Number
2019.7.24
People
Otto Piene, German (Laasphe, Westphalia, Germany 1928 - 2014 Berlin, Germany)
Title
Untitled (notes, left page); Untitled (adhered "Characterization Report" of the "Star Cluster," right page)
Other Titles
Series/Book Title: Sketchbook: Honolulu/Food Show/Boston
Classification
Drawings
Work Type
sketchbook page, drawing
Date
1974
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/374924

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Blue pen, typed black ink on paper, and adhesive on paper
Dimensions
open (approx.): 39.2 × 55.9 cm (15 7/16 × 22 in.)
Inscriptions and Marks
  • inscription: Right page, u.c., in blue pen:: 27 - 3 - 74
  • inscription: Right page, in typed black ink: : Otto Piene / Characterization Report / Star Cluster / Field Sculpture, Institute of Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu / The new buidling for the Institute of Astronomy does not have a domineering / facade, and it does not have prominent neighbors: nor is the two-story structure / particularly visible for the University of Hawaii campus. / It seems advisable, therefore, to concentrate my artistic efforts in the land-scaped courtyard that forms an inner focus to the Institue. Here the empty wall [of the im [crossed out in blue pen] / of the implementation buidling offers a very good area for an artwork. / Since trees will be silhouetted against the left and right portions of the wall / the middle area lends itself favorable to a wall sculpture. / This field sculpture will consist of ca. 150 stainless steel rods of lenghs / varying between one and five feet, each with an optically potent high-lead-content- / glass prism mounted on its tip. The rods will forma cluster of horizontally protruding / STAR STICKS. Their arrangement will follow an astronomical star cluster the image of / which will be contributed by sc entists [sic] of the U of H Institute of Astronomy (the / clients). / During the daytime the sun will cast long shadows of the rods on the wall painted / in an off-white color, and sunlight will also cast spectral projections originating / from the prisms onto the wall and other surfaces of the courtyard. The shadows and spectra / will wander and disappear and reaappear as the positions of the sun - and weather - / change - thus emphasizing seasonal and time change. / THe [sic] configurations of the prisms will be calculated by Institue of Astronomy or / M.I.T. personnel who will also advise on further detail of lighting that is to en- / hance night time effects of the field sculpture on special occasions (two wide-beam / lights, each on one side of the cluster; ca. 12' high on the wall). / The rods will be mounted out of reach of spectators so that vandalism is unlikely, / particularly since the courtyard will be enclosed completely. / The proposed field sculpture can be manufactured and installed by means that the / budget for this project allos for. Installation of STAR CLUSTER is schedule for / the month of July. The final design will be presented on May 7, '74.
  • inscription: Left page, in blue pen:: [cont. from 2019.7.23] sculpture on special occasions / (two wide-beam lights , each / on one side of the cluster; / ca. 12' high on the wall). / The rods will be mounted / out of reach of spectators so / that vandalism is unlikely, par- / ticularly since the coutyard / will be encolsed completely / the proposed field sculpture can be manufactured / and installed by means that the budge for this project / allows for. Installation of STAR / CLUSTER is scheduled for the / month of July. The final / design presentation [strikethrough] will be pre- / sented on May 7, 74. / O.p>

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Elizabeth Goldring Piene, gift; to the Busch-Reisinger Museum, 2018.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Busch-Reisinger Museum, Gift of Elizabeth Goldring Piene
Copyright
© Otto Piene Estate
Accession Year
2019
Object Number
2019.7.24
Division
Modern and Contemporary Art
Contact
am_moderncontemporary@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Pages 47-48

Subjects and Contexts

  • Animating the Page

Related Works

Verification Level

This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator; it may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Modern and Contemporary Art at am_moderncontemporary@harvard.edu