Earthtime 1.8 Mexico City, Mexico, 2017
DESCRIPTION
Earthtime 1.8 (One Point Eight) hangs above us, a monumental floating form. In Mexico City its presence fills the space of the Center for Contemporary Culture with vibrant color and gentle movement. Composed of layers of technical fibers, braided and knotted together, the form of Earthtime 1.8 responds to the light streaming above it and the breeze through it, while at night pulsing alive with projected colored light. This twin effect, that of the unplanned weather and programmed colored light push against each other, resulting in an ever changing choreography. The content of the sculpture - like its movements, is open ended, allowed to emerge within each person. Every viewer is encouraged to freely form associations, and create their independent interpretation of the work.
A physical manifestation of interconnectedness, the whole of the net sculpture responds to the movement of any individual part. This interconnection reveals a dramatic contrast at play within the sculpture - that of the seemingly delicate fibers and tremendous scale. The contrast beguiles and engages the viewer, inviting a moment of contemplation amid the bustle and commotion of daily life.
Lightweight and flexible, Earthtime 1.8 is designed to travel to cities around the world where it becomes an opportunity for individuals to reflect upon the interdependency that we all have with the larger cycles of the planet. The exhibition in Mexico City reflects this poignantly as its installation was postponed due to the tragic earthquake on September 19, 2017, which led to its relocation from the Zócalo to the Center for Contemporary Culture in Mexico City
Its title, Earthtime 1.8 (One Point Eight) refers to the length of time in microseconds that the earth’s day was shortened as a result of a single physical event (in this case, data sets derived from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that emanated from Japan). It is constructed from fibers 15 times stronger than steel by weight, and custom color blends that Echelman combines with light to create the dynamic final sculpture.
To date, the Earthtime 1.8 sculpture has been installed in: London, UK (2016), San Diego, CA (2016), Mexico City, Mexico (2017), Beijing, China (2017), Xian, China (2018), Green Mountain Falls, CO (2019), and Perth, Australia (2021).
MATERIALS AND SIZE
Fiber, Buildings and Sky combined with Colored Lighting. Fibers are braided with nylon and UHMWPE (Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene)
Dimensions of net: 100 ft. length x 45 ft. width x 20 ft. depth
CREDITS
Art: Janet Echelman
Studio Echelman Team: Melissa Henry, Daniel Zeese, Yoonjee Koh, Cameron Chateauneuf, Jamie Li
Sculpture Engineering: Arup: Clayton Binkley
Installation Engineering: Filux International Festival of Lights
Simulation Software Engineering: Autodesk
Festival Production: Filux International Festival of Lights
Photography and Videography: Filux International Festival of Lights
Location
Centro Cultural Del Mexico Contemporaneo, Mexico City, Mexico
