Glass-Walled Labyrinth
GLASS-WALLED LABYRINTH
Robert Morris
CATEGORY
Installation
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
W Carter & Associates Glazing
LOCATION
Kansas City, United States
ARCHITECTS
Robert Morris
YEAR
2014
PHOTOGRAPHS
Josh Ferdinand
ENGIEERING
Erich Blohm Design, McCownGordon
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING ASSOCIATES
BNIM, Builders Steel Company
CONSTRUCTION
Livers Bronze, JEI Structural Engineering, BSE Structural Engineers, Rick Howell
Text description provided by architect.
Kansas City, MO. March 11, 2014–A triangular-shaped, glass-walled labyrinth designed by acclaimed artist and Kansas City native Robert Morris is being installed in the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
This dynamic sculpture will provide visitors with an intimate experience, enticing them to interact with the art by winding through the glass maze.
The installation of Glass Labyrinth in the southeast section of the park marks the start of a six-month long celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park. The 62- foot by 62-foot by 62-foot, seven-foot-tall labyrinth, which weighs more than 400 tons, will be fully installed on May 22, when a public celebration will be held.
The installation of Glass Labyrinth begins a series of celebrations of the Sculpture Park that will include family activities, educational programs and special events.
The 22-acre park has been championed through the years by Mr. Hall, whose keen eye and diligent stewardship have allowed the grounds to become a stellar asset to Kansas City and an outdoor destination for many.
“The idea of a labyrinth as a place in which we lose ourselves in order to find ourselves is intriguing,” said Antonia Boström, Director, Curatorial Affairs.
“This sculpture encompasses many things: engagement, participation, a spirit of theatricality, and also pushes boundaries between an art object and personal experience.”
While the labyrinth is a deceptively simple structure, its creation required a very large team and much ingenuity to see its realization. Construction began on the project last fall, under the leadership of Steve Waterman, Nelson-Atkins Director, Presentation and in collaboration with Erich Blohm Design, engineer for Robert Morris.
A crew of more than 80 worked on the physical construction of the sculpture, with an additional crew of local and national companies involved in the planning and development.