Mime

MIME

Richmond Heights Station, Cross County MetroLink, Richmond Heights, MO

Commissioned by:
St. Louis MetroLink and Arts in Transit

Materials:
Stainless Steel

Dimensions: 32’ H x 22’ 2” Diameter
(9.75 mx 6.75m Diameter)

Photography:
Andrew Ginzel

Mime explores the intersection of time and natural phenomena in a dynamic visual and visceral experience integrated with the environment of the Cross County MetroLink Richmond Heights Station.

Three precise elements work in tandem to create the responsive, animated stainless steel instrument that gives evidence to the unseen forces of converging air currents and changing ambient light levels in and around the station.

At the work’s pinnacle, thirty-two feet above the ground, a pair of perpendicular half-circles held in tension spin with the shifting breezes. Mysteriously propelled, the turning form’s motion defines a sphere, as if it capturing an invisible essence.

Immediately beneath this revolving panemone, a precise indicator vane reveals the prevailing wind direction at all times. Animated by the wind, the meter responds to the invisible currents of air with accurate, nuanced movement. Articulating the unseen physics of the site, the vane renders evident the fluid dynamics of air movement, echoing the gestural flow of commuters moving through the Richmond Heights Station.

Suspended below the indicator vane, a 360-degree collar of convex mirrors absorbs and reflects everything seen in the station environs. This all-embracing circle of light is dramatically alive, capturing the fleeting essence of the passing moment, motion and light in every direction. Infinitively observant, the mirrors embrace the viewer and the site, reflecting an infinite number of perspectives in an all-encompassing mirage.

Mime celebrates the spirit and vitality of the station, as it reflects and reveals its surroundings, engaging the visual participation of commuters, pedestrians and motorists. An inquiry into perception, invisible forces and time, the work explores our dynamic perception of the seen and unseen world.