Gathered Sounds

Anne Kirby Rubin
2009; Bronze; Sculpture
Medical Campus; In the courtyard between Kellogg Eye Center and Brehm Tower (northeast side)

Commissioned by the U-M Health System for the Kellogg Eye Center Expansion Project (Brehm Tower). The large bronze panel features reliefs of abstract biomorphic forms and with water cascading down the front creates both a visual and auditory experience. In the winter, when the water is off, the movement of light across the surface will create constant change in the shapes and surfaces of the work.

The artist describes the sculpture: “The forms of the sculpture will interact with the water both shaping it and being revealed by it, the same way that rocks interact with water in rapids. The varied size and location of the abstract biomorphic forms that make up the piece will create not only a variety of visual water forms but also variety in the sounds that the falling water will make. The varied sound-scape will create another level of interest for those patients with limited vision. The abstract organic forms will be drawn from the sights and sounds of the natural environment in Michigan, with special emphasis on the sounds of the area of the Huron River valley. Regardless of the season, the sculpture will create a healing environment by evoking the sensations of being in nature. By transporting the idea of wilderness to a cultivated area, the sculpture will encourage contemplation about the beauty, fascination, and solace that nature provides.”