Liquid Shadows, Solid Dreams (A Monastic Playground) by Torkwase Dyson
Type: museum installation
Location: 2024 Whitney Biennial, The Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY
Large scale sculptural forms comprised of engineered wood, steel, and stone, reaching up to 21ft in height and extending across the entire expanse of the 5th floor terrace, evoking both reverence and play, humility and joy. Structural scope included an iterative feasibility study of multiple conceptual designs, review and structural design of the forms to meet the stringent parameters of the terrace, and assessment of and collaboration towards the global stability of the forms. The unique challenge posed for this site was the combination of a limited allowable load imparted onto the terrace, the significant height and relative light weight under extreme wind conditions, and the incredibly limited points of positive connection to the terrace. The weight and placement of each stone boulder was not only a key design feature of the artist but a collaborative solution for anchoring the forms down with adequate weight (along with significant steel mass hidden within the forms). Close collaboration with the artist, fabricators, and curators successfully brought this artwork to the 2024 Whitney Biennial, and on extended view for one year.
