Perpetuity is an outdoor 1970 sculpture by Alexander von Svoboda, located in Portland, Oregon.
| Perpetuity | |
|---|---|
| Artist | Alexander von Svoboda |
| Year | 1970 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Medium | Bronze, redwood |
| Dimensions | 3.0 m × 3.0 m × 0.91 m (10 ft × 10 ft × 3 ft); 9.8 m diameter (32 ft) |
| Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Owner | World Forestry Center |
Description and history
edit| External image | |
|---|---|
 Standard Insurance Center (Portland, Oregon) by Marion Dean Ross (June 6, 1970), University of Oregon Libraries |
Perpetuity is a sculpture by Alexander von Svoboda, completed in 1970. It consists of a bronze "seedling" inside a hollowed-out cross section of a 350 feet (110 m), Giant Sequoia tree.[1][2] The seedling is suspended by bronze shafts that pierce the wood and extend several feet beyond, creating a "sunburst" effect.[1] The sculpture measures approximately 10 feet (3.0 m) x 10 feet (3.0 m) x 3 feet (0.91 m), has a 32-foot (9.8 m) diameter, and weighs 13.5 tons.[1][2] It rests on a concrete base which measures approximately 85 inches (220 cm) x 38 inches (97 cm) x 38 inches (97 cm). The Smithsonian Institution categorizes the piece as abstract and allegorical ("time", "eternity").[1]
According to Svoboda, the work symbolizes "growth, regeneration and the perpetual cycle of life".[2] Smithsonian offers the following remark by Svoboda: "This is perpetual, the beginning and end of life, or to say it another way, there is no end and no beginning..."[1] The sculpture was surveyed and considered "treatment urgent" by Smithsonian's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!" program in 1993.[1] By then, the sculpture was owned by the World Forestry Center and installed in front of its Merlo Hall, having been donated by Standard Insurance Company.[1]
See also
edit- 1970 in art
- The Quest (1970) by Svoboda, installed in front of Portland's Standard Insurance Center
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Perpetuity, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on October 19, 2014. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Perpetuity". alexvonsvoboda.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
