Client: 21c Museum Hotel

Overview

Planted among the bald cypress trees lining the sidewalk outside 21c Museum Hotel in Oklahoma City, this perforated corten steel tree produces a continuous fog, engulfing visitors and passersby in its mist and allowing them to revel in its cool, moist air. The fog is in a constant state of flux, sensitive to the slightest changes in wind, temperature, and humidity.

Goals

Simultaneously eerie, unexpected, and playful, Woozy Blossom transforms the urban exterior of Oklahoma City’s 21c Museum Hotel into an ever-changing, otherworldly environment. The work both complements and disrupts its surroundings: a tree among trees, its industrial materials, and mechanics provide material reference to the history of this former factory site—a Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant.

Process

Siting and installation was a collaboration among 21c Museum Director, Alice Gray Stites, Deborah Berke Partners, and 21c founders Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson.

Additional Information

Geller purposefully uses materials from the everyday outdoor environment—anything from benches, to swings, to canopies, to pipes—and bring them into the realm of art. He creates a level of connection to the familiar while highlighting elements of awe and beguilement, often using existing artifacts from the site, and retrofitting them to make a micro public square or landmark that encourages creative patterns of use. The works are spirited, accessible, participatory, and very often unexpected. By considering behavioral design and combining impactful visuals with dynamic elements activated by people and changes in ambient light and weather, the resulting work is in constant flux. The artwork becomes part of the community's fabric and is integral in shaping how we live in public space. The idea is to surprise while fostering a sense of community around an unlikely object or site.