AIR+SPACE (GRID) 1995

State Office Block, 111 George Street, Brisbane
Commissioned by Queensland State Government

Two blue channels and a red aluminium grid attached to the four interior walls of the skylight at the plaza level form a grid within the square of the skylight. An empty rhomboid is centred within the grid. It is anchored flat yet appears three dimensional when viewed from different positions. Red and white neon are visible at the top of the channel. As the spectator passes through the foyer space, the grid compresses optically, thus allowing the centre shape to appear to compress into a square and then to stretch out again.

At a certain time of year, the position of the sun at midday and its effect on the shadows cast onto the floor and walls through the skylight cause the shadow of the rhomboid to appear as a perfect square on the floor below. At night the effect of the neon light dominates the work. The glass pyramid surmounting the work is filled with reflections, which change as the position of the viewer changes. What is seen from below in full sunlight differs from what is seen when the sky is overcast. What is seen at night is different again.

The project managers were the Queensland Artworkers Alliance, the government architect was Ian Schofield, and the building architect Robin Gibson. I was able to select my own fabricators. I worked with neon fabricator, Michael Blazek, and Keith Reid from the Special Projects Division of G James Glass and Aluminium.