Portals

Polished Stainless Steel – Rusted Wire Frames

Portals is a site-specific sculpture Muss conceived for the grounds of The Kreeger Museum in Washington, DC. The installation consists of seven stainless steel columns with a mirrored finish, wrapped in rusted wire frames. The proportions of the columns relate to a human figure. They are spaced at equal  intervals to create the perception of gateways, which also allows for a meandering path between them. The top of each column is designed as a planter where ivy vines will grow downwards around the wire frame.

The installation incorporates the rhythms of nature. As the ivy vines change with the seasons, they frame, revealing or concealing the reflections in the mirrored surfaces. The reflected views create a complex visual field and offer a possibility of other realities and glimpses in between the columns.

The portals are intended to be appreciated on many levels as a physical and metaphorical representation of our path in the natural world. Not only are the portals a doorway to a new path on this earth into nature, but also a doorway reflecting a path into oneself and one’s spiritual journey. Walking through doorways offers a glimpse inside oneself, a different perspective perhaps. The encouraged interaction with this piece allows for inspiration; a choice to step through, a reflection of past, present, and future.

The installation creates a lyrical environment, reminiscent of flooded woods, and invites the viewer into the maze-like arrangement of vertical volumes.