Grass Extension, 2015. Broadcloth, fusible interfacing, copper wire, aluminum mesh, nylon cord, cinderblock. 36 x 48 x 48 inches. Interactive sculpture, installed for the Art Rocks Spy Pond Elements Exhibition, Spy Pond, Arlington, MA. May 2015. With materials research by Artisan’s Asylum members, sewing participation by Ali Leverone, and installation participation by Eva-Lee Baird, Dick Leigh, and J&K Westbard.
Here’s Grass Extensions’s Facebook page, including visitor submitted photos of the sculpture in use!
And here are the production photos:
Grass Extension maquette made of garden twist ties, 8″ tall
Lawn at Spy Pond Park where Grass Extension was installed
Experimenting with vinyl fabric and copper wire
Experimenting with plastic tubing and copper wire
Experimenting with cotton broadcloth and copper wire
Ironing the broadcloth to fusible interfacing
A jig I made to draw a bunch of parallel lines on fabric
Prepping the fabric for cutting
A batch of fronds, 10′, with copper wire inserted
A bending block to prep the fronds to go into the mesh base
Grass Extension, about 1/3 of the fronds installed
Grass Extension ready to go to the site!
My folks helping with planting the piece
My folks and kids helping with planting the piece
Grass Extension planted!
Grass Extension in use by visitors
Grass Extension with a changed habit (which is the general shape a plant takes)
Grass Extension roots
Grass Extension after four weeks of use!
De-installation and replacing the sod
Grass Extension in the car ready to go home