July 25th, 2007
Made from over 100 old refrigerators, Fridgehenge (a.k.a ‘Stonefridge’) was put together at a location near near Santa Fe, New Mexico, and completed around 1996 by artist Adam Horowitz. Recent high winds toppled many of the fridges, and the rest was finally removed in June 2007 by city officials who regarded it as a safety hazard. Unlike other Stonehenge replicas, which mimic the astronomical alignment of the original, Fridgehenge had “atomic alignment” and faced Los Alamos National Laboratories, which visitors could see in the distance.
More images of Fridgehenge on Flickr
Overview of Stonehenge replicas & derivatives
Another overview with directions to replicas in the U.S.
July 23rd, 2007
(rainy day post)
As these hors doth pass away so doth the life of men decay
Memento Mori
Disponit tempus dies
Days Make Years
A day may ruin thee improve this hour
AD MDCCXXII
Disce tuos numerare dies
Learn to number thy days
Ecce Horn
Behold, the hour of Destiny!
Thus eternity approacheth
Trifle not your time’s short
Festina Lente
Hasten Slowly
Fugit Dies
The day flies on
Hora Fugit Rapide Lethumq Invadit Inermes
The hours guide swiftly, and the unguarded are easily surprised
Fumus et umbra sumus
Smoke and shadows are we
July 20th, 2007
‘Team Disney’ – Corporate offices for Disney, near Orlando, Florida, Arata Isozaki architect. Sundial built into center cylinder, on interior and exterior. More images and sundial details . . .
July 1st, 2007
Damian Ortega’s Obelisco Transportable
A 20-foot-tall, narrow, tapering object with a pyramidal top, Damián Ortega’s Obelisco Transportable stands on a grassy platform on wheels, as though it has been uprooted from a previous location and made portable. At Central Park’s 60th street x 5th avenue plaza until October 28, 2007. More info with the Public Art Fund
June 29th, 2007
The following are examples of contemporary portable sundials (Fred Flintstone inspired?)–on the other end of the size spectrum from the Long Island City Sundial:
June 27th, 2007
A shadow-studies (among other things) non-profit, the Environmental Simulation Center is featured in the July 2 edition of The New Yorker–a great Talk of the Town article considering the effect of shadows from buildings in urban planning.
June 25th, 2007
Reception for exhibition of LIC Sundial project drawings at the MeatSpace Gallery on July 21, the Summer Solstice–exhibition open through July 20 by appointment, phone 718 433-4990 or email hn (at) heidineilson (dot) com. Introductory Sundial Walking Tour scheduled for Sunday, July 15th at 2pm, starting at the gallery.
June 5th, 2007
Sundial mottos, often incorporated directly in their design, usually (and unsurprisingly) evoke the fleeting passage of time, light, etc., and sometimes refer to their own malfunction when the sun is absent. Here are examples from The Book of Old Sundials, OYO, TN Foulis, Ltd., 1922 –more in a future post (perhaps on another rainy day), there are tons.
Let others tell of storms and showers
I’ll only count your sunny hours
Abi Non Moratur Hora Ambula In Luce
(Begone, Time Flies, Walk in Light)
United in time parted in time to be reunited when time shall be no more
Behold and begone about your business
Cursum Peregi
(I have finished my course)
Carpe Diem
Ah, take the cash in hand and waive the Rest
Know Thyself
As Shadow So Man Speedeth
Dies Diem Trudit
(A day May ruin thee)
Dum-Spectas-Fugio
I fly away even whilst thou watchest me
TIME – TIDE
DOTH – WAIST (sic)
THEREFORE
MAKE – HASTE
WE – SHALL
Dum Fugit Umbra Quiesco
(The Shadow moves though I be at rest)
As the sune runs so death comes
DEPRESSA – RESURGO
I set to rise
May 6th, 2007
2:00 on May 6th is marked by a small sundial – which will remain a decent 2 pm landmark for the first week or so of May. Note the about 5-foot shift in shadow location in 4 days – see previous post at the same spot.
The small sundial is adorned by plaques in the cardinal directions:
North: “Brian Watkins Athlete-Hero”
East: “Vincent C. McNeill Surveyor”
South: “Maria Hernandez Housewife-Heroine”
West: “Joseph E. McGrath Educator”
One wonders who these people are and why they were chosen to be honored in such a manner.
April 30th, 2007
The Sculpture Center‘s current exhibit features Flatland, a performance project in which 6 artists live in a narrow ant-farm like structure suggesting 2-dimensional space.
