Client: 21c Museum Hotel

Overview

Planted among the bald cypress trees lining the sidewalk outside 21c Museum Hotel in Oklahoma City, this perforated Corten steel tree produces a continuous fog, engulfing visitors and passersby in its mist and allowing them to revel in its cool, moist air. The fog is in a constant state of flux, sensitive to the slightest changes in wind, temperature, and humidity. Simultaneously eerie, unexpected, and playful, Woozy Blossom transforms the urban exterior of 21c Oklahoma City into an ever-changing, otherworldly environment. The work, which offers a seductive invitation to interact, both complements and disrupts its surroundings: a tree among trees, its industrial materials and mechanics provide material reference to the history of this former factory site.

21c Museum Hotel, Oklahoma City
16’ x 9’ x 9’ (variable)
Corten steel, mist, programmed LED lights

Goals

The sculpture was commissioned for the sidewalk adjacent to the front entrance based on a temporary portable version of the sculpture.

Process

Siting and installation was a collaboration among 21c Museum Director, Alice Gray Stites, Deborah Berke Partners, and 21c founders Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson.

Metalab provided project management, design development, and fabrication oversite services.

Additional Information

In his public art practice, Matthew Geller’s participatory sculptures become one of the building blocks that make a space a destination. As such, the work activates the site and promotes interaction among visitors, often creating intimate moments in a singularly public space. Part of his work’s success is that it is physically experiential: viewers understand that there is a place for themselves in it. His sculptures enable moments of respite and delight, befitting the site's functional and visual context. He purposefully uses materials from the everyday environment creating a level of connection to the familiar while highlighting elements of awe and beguilement. The idea is to surprise while fostering the sense of an inclusive community around an unlikely object or location, creating a micro public square or landmark. By considering behavioral design and incorporating dynamic elements activated by people and changes in the weather, the resulting work is in constant flux. Ultimately, the artwork’s goal will be to engender a sense of wonder, enhancing the community and visitor experience.