Client: Connecticut Art in Public Places
Location: E. C. Goodwin Technical High School, New Britain, United States
Completion date: 2013
Artwork budget: $350,000
Project Team
Industry Resource
Michael Cohen
Schuler Shook Lighting
Industry Resource
Steven Johnson
Rainville Carlson
Industry Resource
Coldspring Granite
Industry Resource
Ken Green
Mattson MacDonald Young Engineers
Industry Resource
John Chipko
Kaestle Boos Associates
Artist
Janet Lofquist
Janet Lofquist LLC
Overview
The work is comprised of seven large gear wheels that create a rhythmic presence along the school’s facade. The gear wheels are made from weathering steel, stainless steel and aluminum using various fabrication methods. The surface of each wheel is perforated with a sequence of circular openings that create a dynamic play of light and shadow, glowing from within at night.
Two groups of granite benches create a secondary component of the work. As bookends to the assemblage of gear wheels they create sculptural spaces for gathering. The bench assembly details suggest various joinery techniques and methods.
Goals
The artwork for E.C. Goodwin Technical High School has been developed with consideration of the site, the context of the school and the relationship between art and architecture. The visual elements symbolically refer to both the technical emphasis of the school curriculum, connecting structure and materials, as well as academic, connecting concepts and giving form to thoughts and ideas.
In addition to animating the large expanse of lawn on the side of the building, the work creates a seating area for students as they wait for the buses at the end of the day and at night while attending extracurricular activities.
Process
Students at E.C. Goodwin selected the quotes that are inscribed into the seating surfaces of the granite benches. The quotes suggest multiple interpretations of the word Engage and Connect. As an example a quote from Archimedes: "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world".
With the emphasis of technical skills at the high school, the artist chose to showcase a number of fabrication techniques, combine a variety of materials and involve a number fabricators to complete the large-scale installation. The techniques included laser cutting, metal spinning, welding and granite fabrication. In addition, the integration of L.E.D. lighting was crucial to the nighttime presence of the work.