Stories Interweave was inspired by the variety and diversity of languages spoken in Aurora with the goal of celebrating the connections between these groups through language. We gathered phrases and stories from the local population and combined them to create a two-dimensional ‘word cloud’ pattern and to connect these groups in one piece that represents Aurora’s population. The surface of each sculpture is made up of different languages cut into steel and welded together to create three-dimensional lantern-like forms intermixing languages and stories.

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Words typically tell stories when arranged in phrases and sentences, and the shapes of these sculptures will add additional narrative meaning to the phrases. Therefore, the piece invites the viewer to visually move through the swarm of words and create new phrases or connections with each visit. During the day and night, intense point source LED lighting will cast intricate colored shadows around the hanging sculptures. During the day, the lighting will project into shadowed areas and at night it will project largely against the ceiling. The lighting automatically cycles through different colors over time. The colored shadows encourage visitors to move and pose within the colorful projections.

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Date:

2016

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Location:

Colfax Station, Aurora, CO​

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Dimensions:

5’ Diameter

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Media:

powder-coated steel, LED lighting

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Commissioning Agency: 

Art in Public Places, City of Aurora

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Artist:

Joe O'Connell​