dead temple visions sculpture artifacts

These pieces were originally created for the Dead Temple Visions sound film. Read that post and you’ll see why I needed several versions of increasing complexity.

The very first version is essentially a blank, white octahedron which looks a lot cooler when you video it in a setting with fog and loads of reflections / projections.

still shot from Dead Temple Visions

The next version was based on an octahedral design with multiple layers. These layers are made up of overlapping shapes. A diagram of the design applied to a net shows how these shapes interact in two dimensions.

diagram of the jig used to cut a very specific angle on the table saw

all the components, assembled and neatly arranged

the finished piece in nature, with a base

the finished piece in the studio, from all angles

The next version was more complex and open. The triangles of the octahedron and the leaves are about half and half material and open space, allowing a lot of light to shine through and creating a complex shadow.

a couple of unused design ideas that didn’t really work with how the sculpture would be assembled

atop a hill, perhaps near the dead temple

the lattice version of the sculpture, on the base used for the solid version

memorial service for a fallen sculpture

Alas, one horrible morning I bumped this piece with my elbow and I watched it plummet to my studio floor. With a sickening crack it was destroyed beyond repair. So I burned it.

I wasn’t 100% happy with the angles anyway, which I realized had been calculated incorrectly enough to put the assembled piece under tension… enough tension to make it explode when dropped from a few feet.

In an attempt to get some decent milage from the piece (and let people see it in real life, outside of the video), I needed to re-make the whole piece. Fortunately I take good notes and the redo didn’t take nearly as long. But while I was at it, I went ahead and made two.

The first ended up being part of the 2024 Dogwood Regional Exhibition.

one of the new and improved sculptures on display, using a familiar stand

The second (notice the color difference) accompanied my contribution for the 2024 Bridges Conference fashion show component: the Dead Temple Visions artifact shirt.