Advertisement
Carpenter characterizes "Vessel" as a centerpiece for the HutchinsonCenter. "My intention was to create a sculpture that could not be anywhereelse -- that would feel right for this site and this institution bothphysically and metaphorically," he said.
Advertisement
"Rising more than four stories in a transparent and searching gesture, thesculpture employs light to represent the optimistic spirit of theinstitution," he said. "It is a luminous container for the aspirations andhopes of all involved."
"Vessel" is lit from the inside and outside at night; its open designencourages pedestrians to walk into its center.
To achieve the sculpture's light yet towering appearance, Carpenter usedlaminated and tempered safety glass to strengthen structural sections ofaluminum, allowing longer spans at a lighter weight than with conventionalmethods. He rebuilt the structure with enhanced reinforcement after thepartially built original sustained damage in a windstorm last October.
Carpenter, who is based in Portland, is an internationally acclaimedartist with pieces commissioned in Ireland, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and manylocations across the United States. Regionally, his works can be found indowntown Seattle at the new U.S. Federal Courthouse, in Redmond at City Halland in the Safeco corporate headquarters, and in Bellevue at MeydenbauerCenter. He also played a key role in the redesign of the rose window of St.Mark's Cathedral in Seattle.
Carpenter has been overseeing and participating in every step of theinstallation with a crew of longtime helpers; the structural portion of thepiece has taken about six weeks to complete. The accompanying lighting andlandscaping in the traffic circle at the Center's main entrance should befinished this week.
The commission of "Vessel" was made possible by a gift from the family ofa former Center scientist who specified that the funds be used for thecreation of outdoor art. The Center's art committee established selectioncriteria and initiated an international call for artists, eventually narrowingit down to six finalists. From there, the committee chose Carpenter's workafter considering artist presentations and input from faculty and staff, whofavored "Vessel" in an online survey.
At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams ofworld-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnoseand treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our researchers, includingthree Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health,knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information,please visit http://www.fhcrc.org.CONTACT Christi Ball Loso (206) 667-5215 [email protected]
SOURCE Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
