Our conversation in class about the relationship between science and art made me think of a piece called Sun Tunnels by Nancy Holt. Nancy Holt seems to merge art and science through a number of her installations, many of which are outdoors. Sun Tunnels consists of 4 concrete cylinders placed in an X shape in the middle of the Utah desert. The tunnels feature holes that allow each tunnel to react differently to the summer and winter solstice as well as the sunrise and sunset. Constellations can also be viewed through the holes.
I first heard about this piece in an art history class in which our teacher played an NPR clip of a group of friends visiting the sun tunnels for the first time. They seemed overcome by a since of wonder which I don’t think can felt by simply looking at pictures of the sun Tunnels. Like we mentioned in class, looking at a picture of the Grand Canyon isn’t quite the same as actually seeing it in real life.
The NPR clip also includes a conversation with a man who actually lives in solitude in the middle of the Utah desert near the tunnels. He points out that the Sun Tunnels are captivating for anyone, even if you aren’t particularly interested in art. He notes that the piece blends science, art and even religion.
Nancy Holt has worked on a number of similar outside installations including one in Arlington Virginia called Dark Star Park.
NPR Sun Tunnels
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This is a really interesting installation. We learned about these in my Earth Art module last semester. It is such a simple idea that it doesn't seem like it would provoke as many people from as many different fields, but it does... I would really like to see the one in Arlington, maybe to get a better understanding of why people find it so wonderful. I didn't know there was one in Arlington!
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