Public Art At New Carrollton Branch Library

Art In Public PlacesArt of Place

Apr 15

Written By Jendayi Asha

Artwork Title?, Year?

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ARTIST STATEMENT

The library has always been a repository of knowledge from the Library of Congress to the smallest community library. The mission of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System is to “help customers discover and define opportunities that shape their lives.” - lofty goals even in a digital age. The building and its exhibits and art have a responsibility to support that mission; the first influence on my sculpture, even before I saw the building. After that, my background and experience as well as the bold geometry of the building. In fact, the geometry ignited thinking that led to the final design. For a moment in time I was a math major in college, reveling in the confluences of geometric form in three dimensional space. It struck me that a work of art in this setting could inspire “mathematical” thinking and, crazy thought, a bit of introspection. The insertion of translucent scrims that offer many color and light combinations supported this notion.

Aluminum triangular pipe elements are mechanically joined. They were specified for me by a licensed structural engineer. I currently work with the structural engineers; FMC and Associates, specifically Fadil M. Abdelfatah, P.E. He is a rare engineer willing to work with non-orthogonal structures like my sculptures. Each section is supported by stainless steel cable and fittings that are load rated for many times the weight of the sculpture. Resin panels are cast around a mesh of bird netting, a very strong material that will support the resin of the large spans of the panels. Urethane resin is used because, unlike epoxy resins, urethane will keep a minimum flexibility, and hold its original color.

THE ARTIST

ALAN BINSTOCK

COMMISSIONED BY the Prince George's County Government Art in Public Places program in partnership with the Prince George's Arts and Humanities Council, Prince George's County Memorial Library System and the Office of Council Member Deni L. Taveras, District 2.

AIPP Panel: Carol Rhodes Dyson, Leland E. Edgecombe, Eric Key, Olivia G. Miller, Alec Simpson

Project Manager: Rhonda Dallas, PGAHC

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

For more information contact :

RHONDA DALLAS, CEO & CHIEF CURATOR

Prince George's Arts and Humanities Council