Drawing on her previous work exploring unusual and interesting physical properties of materials, Stephanie Simek will install a deftly crafted, hand-built “table of holograms” in the Portland Building Installation Space.
The holograms consist of three-dimensional images of common minerals that appear to hover in space above the tabletop. The table structure not only serves as a way of building an illusion, but also functions as a container for Simek’s personal table of elements, an offering of silicon, quartz, calcite, iron, copper, and bismuth. “It’s a table within a table, a reliquary for various elemental materials with remarkable inherent potential.” Simek says, “Each possesses magnetic, electrical, or optical capabilities, and all have the ability to do work, such as carrying a signal or storing information.” These familiar minerals have been used by the artist in her past installations, projects that include the construction of a room-sized crystal radio, an invisibility cloak, a compass, and a levitating sculpture.
Viewing Hours & Location: The Portland Building is located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue in downtown Portland and is open 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday. Table of Elements (and Minerals) runs from February 21 to March 17, 2017.
The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) manages the 13’ x 8’ installation space in the lobby of the Portland Building and presents installation-based art there year round. For more information, including images, proposals, and statements for projects dating back to 1994, go to www.racc.org/installationspace.