Reframing Nature 2014 - 2015

Reframing Nature continues an exploration I began in the early 70's.  I studied architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design from 1967 to 1972, at a time of great social unrest. Instead of designing physical buildings I made work that focused on what was called anti-architecture or paper architecture. After graduation I moved to New York City and was surrounded by tall buildings. After years of practicing non- architecture I asked myself “what is architecture?”

Although I lived in the city I turned towards the natural landscape to explore the roots of architecture. I missed the physical work of building. With a tape measure I went into the woods in search of four trees that made a perfect square. Not succeeding I found three trees, cut down a fourth and added scaffold support. I positioned this portable tree to form a square. This I labeled Architecture.  Subsequent projects explored trees as standard lumber and construction material and as a source for architectural column forms that symbolically enabled me to lift the earthbound into the sky. I designed seeds that would grow into full-scale arches and trusses. I made architecture that was easy but could accomplish the heaviest of tasks.