“Testing” the Resnick Pavilion—with Walter De Maria’s Help

 

If you peer through the doors of the new Resnick Pavilion, you’ll see an orderly grid of geometric shapes arranged on the floor according to a precise logic. They catch the northern light, emphasizing the broad expanse of undivided space. The 2000 Sculpture, by Walter De Maria, is the first work of art to inaugurate the pavilion.

Even though the building will not officially open until the fall, we installed a “test” artwork. Michael Govan, who has worked with De Maria on other projects in the past, explained it this way: “The sculpture provides an ideal way to test the Resnick Pavilion’s capacity to deal with large-scale work in the context of its architecture. Certain works of art will never benefit from traditional gallery spotlighting, and the installation of a monumental work as we acclimate this building gives the chance to test new strategies in anticipation of future projects where we may choose to use the entire space for major installations.”

Amy Heibel