Synecdoche

This kinetic felted wool sculpture is a meditation on the research on temporal cycles in coastline eelgrass meadows by USGS scientist Jessica Lacy.
For the past ten years I have been sculpting with felted wool, a unique material with fascinating physical and conceptual possibilities (see my work at www.stephanieme...). I have long been intrigued with the idea of exploring the kinetic potential of wool forms, which can be lightweight yet structural and therefore perhaps could be animated by moving air. When I was approached about the USGS collaboration project I thought it would be a great opportunity to push myself in a new direction and see if I could make something that would speak to the synthesis of science and art.
Jessica Lacy's research resonated with me immediately: she studies overlapping temporal cycles of tides and waves as they affect the motion of eelgrass and thus sediment in the shallow coastline. As we spoke about her work, the visuals of graceful grasses bowing and swaying in the water and the idea of objects affected by distinct cyclical forces led me to my project.
I hoped to create a multitude of hanging felt pieces that would be affected by the oscillations of two different fans, causing them to move in ways that would be somewhat chaotic yet reveal a pattern, and have some kinship with Jessie's work, if not in a totally direct way. After some remedial physics and a lot of trial and error, ultimately I've created an example of imperfect harmonic motion: visual traveling waves of hanging felt pieces that move in response to different air cycles, sometimes in synchrony, sometimes in opposition. My hope is that this will be an elegant visual way to prompt viewers to think about overlapping natural cycles... complete with a bit of chaos.
The title 'Synecdoche' refers to a figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole, or the whole is used to suggest a part. I like the concept of bestowing significance to both the larger idea and the present object that suggests it.
Learn more about the exhibition 'Earth - Science - Art' here: www.earthscienc...

[@spudmadethis]

I could sit and watch them all day long. So calming, beautiful and interesting, the reasons behind it are amazing too, im going to share this with my friends! Thanks so much for doing this video, I feel very peaceful now.

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Thank you!

[@donttellmewhattodo1740]

Idk what I'm watching but it's very interesting.

[@elisaurous2209]

What is that?

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

This is a moving sculpture made up of many felted wool pod-like forms suspended in two lines using fishing line. Two different fans blow towards the light-weight pieces, moving them in patterns that sometimes make a pattern, if watched long enough. The sculpture is in reply to the work of a scientist who studies cycles in the shallow ocean, looking at how tides and waves affect grasses and sedimentation. Thanks for watching!

[@elisaurous2209]

It is very intresting, i like it :)

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Elisabeth Ely Thanks!