“River of Memory,” was inspired by the great Mississippi River that has so deeply influenced and defined life in Louisiana. The sculpture weaves elements from Louisiana’s natural and human history together with shimmering “waves” to evoke a tranquil flow of memory in the mind of the beholder. River of Memory is suspended from the ceiling in the History Museum’s entry area. The sculpture’s myriad surfaces provides a feeling of dynamism as the visitor’s viewing angle changes. Visible from outside the building as the visitor approaches the sculpture becomes the main focal point in the lobby. The sculpture is also visible from the second-floor windows and third-floor balcony that overlook the entry area. The sculpture appears as three closely spaced but separate vertical layers, each about thirty feet tall, ten feet wide, and six to ten inches thick. The bottom of the sculpture is about fifteen feet above the floor. The entire sculpture weighs about 2000 pounds. The sculpture’s shape, verticality, and materials complement the architecture of the building. The decorative elements in the three layers are attached to closely spaced 1/8-inch-diameter stainless steel cables. These cables will run the full length of the sculpture.
Decorative elements attached to the cables include:
- “Waves,” thin curved strips, each about three to five inches wide and of various lengths, fabricated from:
- Dichroic glass, which appears multi-colored (including blue and green) depending on viewing angle
- Custom-perforated multi-colored anodized aluminum — some polished and others with brushed surface
- Custom-perforated silicon-bronze, which has a soft, brushed-gold look; for some of these, smaller pieces of bright, shimmering brass are inserted into the strips
- Images from nature and from the history of Louisiana and the museum itself, including:
- Catfish, crawfish, leaves, and other flora and fauna cast/fabricated in bronze with colored patina
- Human-made objects such as buildings, building details, and river boats cast/fabricated in bronze with colored patina
- Letters from many alphabets, including English, Spanish, and French fabricated in bronze, brass and glass
Alexander Tylevich, Artist, Steve Dumez, Eskew Dumez Ripple, Architect |
