Surfacing

The rectangular resin floats built for Out of Place were complemented by translucent and luminous cylindrical vessels that could be submerged, pulled through and raised above the water. Dancers on the canal edges operated these elements via tensile lines, kinetically referencing the donkeys that once pulled barges along this industrial waterway and the joggers and bikers who use the canal for long-distance recreation today. To contrast the horizontal motion, cylindrical vessels were hung from pedestrian bridges, their lines leading into the water. As the vessels rose out of the water, they spun and released the water contained within, activating the water’s surface and the night with sound. On another bridge the glowing vessels were swung back and forth, signaling across distance. This in situ experiment transformed the inert, unused canal into an object of fascination—revealing layers of history and human use via the sculptural interventions and kinetic movements.