Client: Boston Properties

Location: Boston, MA, United States

Completion date: 2018

Artwork budget: $89,000

Project Team

Artist

Vanessa Till Hooper

Studio HHH

Public Art Agent

Luminartz

Client

Boston Properties

Industry Resource

Transformit

Overview

Serpentine is an original site specific public artwork designed for the Atrium at The Exchange in Downtown Boston. The sculpture consists of eight individual hanging stretch fabric elements, each surface illuminated by projection mapped, abstract video art. The movement and color crossing between planes, folds the individual elements together into a singular whole, creating a serpentine like form that arcs through the large glass hall. The installation was 60 ft L x 20 ft W x 30 ft H. Materials: stretch fabric, aluminum frames, video art, four 10K projectors, and a content distribution system.

Goals

The goal of the installation is to reflect the way people move throughout their day. The work was designed to be viewed from three specific vantage points, with the experience of the sculpture changing dramatically depending on the location it is viewed from.

Process

This artwork came to life because of a collaboration between Boston Properties and ILLUMINUS, a light and technology based artwork festival in Downtown Boston. Boston Properties commissioned the artwork through LuminArtz, the producers of the ILLUMINUS festival, to find an artwork for the glass atrium that would be unveiled on the opening night of the festival, but would stay on display for a three month duration. Studio HHH worked with Transformit, who created the tension-fabric sculptural forms. With these forms Studio HHH developed an installation that was engaging to the public, while being a unique and site specific experience. This was the first public artwork that was commissioned for the newly built atrium at The Exchange.