Janet Echelman
Encyclopedia
Janet Echelman is an American artist
specializing in public art
installations
and sculpture
. She graduated from Harvard University
in 1987 with Highest Honors in Visual Studies. From 1988-1993 Echelman lived and worked in Bali, Indonesia before returning to America. She created her first permanent installation, She Changes, in 2005 in Porto, Portugal. According to Sculpture Magazine
, her work in Portugal charts "a bold new direction for sculpture" and is "one of the truly significant public artworks in recent years." On March 3, 2011, Echelman gave a TED
Talk during the Threads of Discovery session.
. This resulted in her first public sculpture series, Bellbottoms, in Mahaballipuram, India. She first learned netting techniques from local fisherman in Mahaballipuram. Most of her sculptures since have been both machine and hand-woven from weather and UV-resistant fibers. In the last five years, using those fibers, she has built several permanent installations in Portugal, Denver, San Francisco, Phoenix, and British Columbia.
in the newly renovated Terminal 2 of the San Francisco Airport. The sculpture features three colored nets hanging under skylights in the ceiling, terrazzo design, colored lights, and computer controlled airflow. The sculpture is in the area just past airport security where travelers can compose themselves and organize their things before heading to their departure gate.
references the 1.26µs
shortening of the day caused by 2010 Chile earthquake
. The sculpture was a temporary installation in Civic Center Park in July 2010.
was built in June 2009 at the Richmond Olympic Oval
, Richmond, British Columbia
, an official venue of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. The total area is approximately 75000 sq ft (6,967.7 m²). The commission takes run-off water from the facility's 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) roof and transforms it into a water garden intersected by curved pedestrian bridges, red netted "sky lanterns," and water-aeration system. The planting elements absorb heavy metals, prevent siltation, remove other impurities from water, provide native habitat for birds, mammals and aquatic life, and recreate an authentic native wetland garden experience for visitors.
, Her Secret Is Patience
is 145 feet (44.2 m) tall, 353 feet (107.6 m) wide and 289 feet (88.1 m) deep. It is constructed of painted galvanized steel
, changing sets of high-tenacity polyester
braided twine netting, and color lighting. The sculpture is intended to make visible to the human eye the patterns of desert winds. During the day, sunlight projects patterned shadow drawings onto the ground and pedestrians on their daily paths. At night, the colored illumination gradually changes color through the seasons. The large three-dimensional multi-layered form is created by a combination of hand and machine knotting of high-tenacity colored polyester. The project had a budget of USD $2.5 million.
Author Prof. Patrick Frank writes "...most Arizonans look on the work with pride: this unique visual delight will forever mark the city of Phoenix just as the Eiffel Tower marks Paris."
, New York
. It was made of machine- and hand-knotted nylon net held up with steel fittings.
is a waterfront sculpture commissioned by the governments of Porto
and Matosinhos
, Portugal
. The sculpture is 50 meters tall with a diameter of 150 meters. It was constructed from approximately 2 tons of Tenara PTFE architectural fiber. The sculpture is located in Praça Cidade S. Salvador, on the border of the cities of Porto and Matosinhos in Portugal. The installation had a budget of USD $1.6 million.
, this Roadside Shrine II was affixed to piers 90 and 88 of the New York Cruise Terminal in New York City
. It was constructed with vinyl-coated polyethylene mesh of varying dimensions. The sculpture was funded by The Florence Lynch Gallery.
and a major commission for Dilworth Plaza in front of Philadelphia City Hall
.
while on a Fulbright lectureship in India
. This resulted in her first public sculpture
, Bellbottoms, in Mahaballipuram, India.
1988–1993 Janet Echelman lived and worked in Bali
, Indonesia.
Presently, she resides in Brookline, MA
with her husband, David Feldman, and their two children.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
specializing in public art
Public art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
installations
Installation art
Installation art describes an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called Land art; however, the boundaries between...
and sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
. She graduated from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1987 with Highest Honors in Visual Studies. From 1988-1993 Echelman lived and worked in Bali, Indonesia before returning to America. She created her first permanent installation, She Changes, in 2005 in Porto, Portugal. According to Sculpture Magazine
Sculpture (magazine)
Sculpture ia a magazine published by the International Sculpture Center , a nonprofit organization founded in 1960 to promote interest and understanding of the art form. The organization is located at the old New Jersey Fairgrounds in Hamilton, New Jersey...
, her work in Portugal charts "a bold new direction for sculpture" and is "one of the truly significant public artworks in recent years." On March 3, 2011, Echelman gave a TED
TED (conference)
TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
Talk during the Threads of Discovery session.
Major works
Echelman was first inspired to use nets while on a Fulbright lectureship in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. This resulted in her first public sculpture series, Bellbottoms, in Mahaballipuram, India. She first learned netting techniques from local fisherman in Mahaballipuram. Most of her sculptures since have been both machine and hand-woven from weather and UV-resistant fibers. In the last five years, using those fibers, she has built several permanent installations in Portugal, Denver, San Francisco, Phoenix, and British Columbia.
Every Beating Second, 2011
Echelman was commissioned to create the sculpture Every Beating SecondEvery Beating Second
Every Beating Second is a sculpture designed by artist Janet Echelman. The sculpture is located in Terminal 2 of San Francisco International Airport, which will reopen in April 2011.-Design:...
in the newly renovated Terminal 2 of the San Francisco Airport. The sculpture features three colored nets hanging under skylights in the ceiling, terrazzo design, colored lights, and computer controlled airflow. The sculpture is in the area just past airport security where travelers can compose themselves and organize their things before heading to their departure gate.
1.26, 2010
Janet Echelman was selected for the single art commission for the July 2010 inaugural Biennial of the Americas in Denver. The title 1.261.26 (Sculpture)
1.26 is a public art sculpture commission designed by artist Janet Echelman for Denver's inaugural Biennial of the Americas celebration in July 2010. The sculpture's name is a reference the 2010 Chile earthquake which may have resulted in a 1.26 microsecond shortening of the days on Earth...
references the 1.26µs
Microsecond
A microsecond is an SI unit of time equal to one millionth of a second. Its symbol is µs.A microsecond is equal to 1000 nanoseconds or 1/1000 millisecond...
shortening of the day caused by 2010 Chile earthquake
2010 Chile earthquake
The 2010 Chile earthquake occurred off the coast of central Chile on Saturday, 27 February 2010, at 03:34 local time , having a magnitude of 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale, with intense shaking lasting for about three minutes. It ranks as the sixth largest earthquake ever to be recorded by a...
. The sculpture was a temporary installation in Civic Center Park in July 2010.
Water Sky Garden, 2009-10
Water Sky GardenWater Sky Garden
Water Sky Garden is a sculptural environment designed by artist Janet Echelman. The garden is located outside the Richmond Olympic Oval, an official venue for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. The installation consists of a wetland treatment pond, 300 ft. boardwalk, two 52 ft...
was built in June 2009 at the Richmond Olympic Oval
Richmond Olympic Oval
The Richmond Olympic Oval , or the Richmond Oval is a facility in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. It was the venue of the speed skating events and the official Olympic anti-doping lab of the 2010 Winter Olympics...
, Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
, an official venue of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. The total area is approximately 75000 sq ft (6,967.7 m²). The commission takes run-off water from the facility's 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) roof and transforms it into a water garden intersected by curved pedestrian bridges, red netted "sky lanterns," and water-aeration system. The planting elements absorb heavy metals, prevent siltation, remove other impurities from water, provide native habitat for birds, mammals and aquatic life, and recreate an authentic native wetland garden experience for visitors.
Her Secret Is Patience, 2009
Built in April 2009 in Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Her Secret Is Patience
Her Secret Is Patience
Her Secret Is Patience is a public art sculpture commission designed by artist Janet Echelman for the city of Phoenix. Its creation was the result of collaboration between the artist and a team of award-winning engineers, architects, planners, and fabricators...
is 145 feet (44.2 m) tall, 353 feet (107.6 m) wide and 289 feet (88.1 m) deep. It is constructed of painted galvanized steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
, changing sets of high-tenacity polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
braided twine netting, and color lighting. The sculpture is intended to make visible to the human eye the patterns of desert winds. During the day, sunlight projects patterned shadow drawings onto the ground and pedestrians on their daily paths. At night, the colored illumination gradually changes color through the seasons. The large three-dimensional multi-layered form is created by a combination of hand and machine knotting of high-tenacity colored polyester. The project had a budget of USD $2.5 million.
Author Prof. Patrick Frank writes "...most Arizonans look on the work with pride: this unique visual delight will forever mark the city of Phoenix just as the Eiffel Tower marks Paris."
Expanding Club, 2007
Expanding Club was created for a show at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It was made of machine- and hand-knotted nylon net held up with steel fittings.
She Changes, 2005
She ChangesShe Changes
She Changes is a sculpture designed by artist Janet Echelman for the cities of Porto and Matosinhos, Northern Portugal. The installation consists of three steel poles, cables, a 20-ton steel ring, and a net structure of varying densities and colors. The sculpture is Echelman's first permanent...
is a waterfront sculpture commissioned by the governments of Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
and Matosinhos
Matosinhos
Matosinhos Municipality is located in Porto District, Portugal. The main city is Matosinhos. It is bordered to the south by the city of Porto and lies within the Greater Porto subregion. The municipality has a population of 168,451 in 10 parishes. Many people have recently moved from the...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. The sculpture is 50 meters tall with a diameter of 150 meters. It was constructed from approximately 2 tons of Tenara PTFE architectural fiber. The sculpture is located in Praça Cidade S. Salvador, on the border of the cities of Porto and Matosinhos in Portugal. The installation had a budget of USD $1.6 million.
Target Swooping V, 2004
Target Swooping V was in built in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The sculpture was 60 feet (18.3 m) high, 130 feet (39.6 m) wide and 45 feet (13.7 m) deep. The hand-knotted, synthetic net connected the Rotterdam Cruise Terminal to the waterfront.Roadside Shrine II, 2002
Located on New York City's West Side HighwayWest Side Highway
The West Side Highway is a mostly surface section of New York State Route 9A that runs from West 72nd Street along the Hudson River to the southern tip of Manhattan. It replaced the West Side Elevated Highway, built between 1929 and 1951, which was shut down in 1973 due to neglect and lack of...
, this Roadside Shrine II was affixed to piers 90 and 88 of the New York Cruise Terminal in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It was constructed with vinyl-coated polyethylene mesh of varying dimensions. The sculpture was funded by The Florence Lynch Gallery.
Target Swooping Down...Bullseye!, 2001
Located in Feria de Madrid, Madrid, Spain, Target swooping down...Bullseye! was created for the ARCO Exposition. It is 135 feet (41.1 m) in diameter and 45 feet (13.7 m) tall. The sculpture was made of hand-knotted nylon affixed to the rim of the central atrium. The project was funded by the Florence Lynch Gallery in New York.Upcoming Projects
Echelman is currently working on commissions for the Matthew Knight Arena for the University of OregonUniversity of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
and a major commission for Dilworth Plaza in front of Philadelphia City Hall
Philadelphia City Hall
Philadelphia City Hall is the house of government for the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At , including the statue, it is the world's second-tallest masonry building, only shorter than Mole Antonelliana in Turin...
.
Awards
Private life
Echelman was first inspired to use netsNet (device)
A net, in its primary meaning, comprises fibers woven in a grid-like structure, and is very infrequently mentioned in discussions of philosophy. It blocks the passage of large items, while letting small items and fluids pass...
while on a Fulbright lectureship in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. This resulted in her first public sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, Bellbottoms, in Mahaballipuram, India.
1988–1993 Janet Echelman lived and worked in Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
, Indonesia.
Presently, she resides in Brookline, MA
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
with her husband, David Feldman, and their two children.
External links
- Janet Echelman Official Website
- "Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting", Museum of Arts & Design, January 25 - June 17, 2007
- "Janet Echelman's She Changes" Sculpture Magazine, July/August 2005, Vol.2 No.6
- Janet Echelman on YouTube
- "Art Attack" By Roxana Popescu Newsweek Web Exclusive, December 28, 2007
- "Up in the air" Boston Globe Sunday Magazine, February 7, 2010
- "Scaling Public Space: Janet Echelman" Sculpture Magazine, September 2009, Vol. 28 No. 7
- Google Street View Water Sky Garden
- "Airport Art Is Not an Oxymoron, at Least Not at SFO" by Chloe Veltman, NY Times, March 31, 2011
- "6 Most Beautiful U.S. Airport Terminals", by Ted Reed, TheStreet.comTheStreet.com-History:TheStreet.com, Inc., was co-founded in 1996 by Jim Cramer and Martin Peretz. It is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market. The company is headquartered at 14 Wall Street in New York City. Its stock was made public in May 1999 under the direction of past Chairman and Chief Executive Officer...
, April 9, 2011 - "Exploring The Creative Overlap", Interview on TEDTEDTED may refer to:* TED , an annual multidisciplinary conference* TED spread, the yield spread between U.S...
Blog - "Sculpting Urban Airspace: Janet Echelman", September 2011 Sculpture Magazine