Throughout the day, 6'dia helium-filled weather balloons are lifting one cube after another; 4 to each of hinged (8' X 1" X 1") cube edges which are painted fluorescent colors; with mirroring-mylar on insides. White 'polypropylene' line acting as tethers and black poly-line leading to suspending balloons lifting cubes. *Central cube is "Hypercube" (3D model of 4D shadow-project.
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Searchlights sweep the sidewalk area and Square, of B A Plaza, across four Custom "Choppers" slowly driving clockwise on sidewalk around SQ. Each "Chopper" has their owner/customizer-rider wearing A.R.C. T-shirts and chrome helmets. Each cycle with 'buggy-whip' antenna behind the saddle with an original A.R.C. artwork ('flag-silk') banner mounted - fluttering behind.
Photos: Jay Hueser
Next, cycles/’choppers' start driving counter-clockwise, with searchlights following. Spectators will be inside park and/or outside the walk. [Description of event & credits of companies/persons available as hand-out-flyers and posters.]
A Proposal for Public, Celebratory and Participatory Art Event
Approach is to analyze, plan and design; four basic types of structural/aesthetic systems:
1.) stochastic, 2.) proportional,
3.) programmatic, 4.) dynamic.
Site: an historic midtown city park (over underground parking) of plantings, trees, pedestrian areas, Barney Allis Plaza (N of [Art Deco] Convention Center/S of Historic Folly).
A day-long and night-time project; with some preparation the day-before.
*Asterisks indicate reference to drawings and/or explanation
[“Cube Marionette ” Concept: hinge & shaping by A.R.C.‘s Jay Hueser; origin 1977]
*4 carousel slide projectors with zoom lenses. (some extra lamps) and extension cable outlet boxes. (donated by Audio Video Co.) Slides created based City's Cultural & Economic Statistics; abstract pie charts, bar graphs, etc.. for each carousel/each projector.
*Linear cubes are structurally unstable, unlike stable triangles - hence: parallelogramic/lozenge-like cuboids can result through line manipulation. Potential for 2D "Necker Cubes" and "impossible cube"; possible illusions 3D/4D; from various viewing angles of spectators below, particularly, at night.
*Thrusting up from ground below, at four corners of 13' Major Square (area below, later) and 8' high, centered in 12"dia 1/4" mirror (with holes for dowel). Mirrors centered in 36" diameter circles of white quartz 2" stones. Atop each dowel: a 3" diameter wooden circle on which is mounted a 'classic Newtonian prism' of cast acrylic.
*Naturally, with sunlight, these will cast refracted beams of spectral-colors. This can be enhanced for spectators with fine water misting from simple hose-fed circular sprinklers to center of central ribboned-square. "Rainbows-in-Curved-Air" can then be observed from many vantage points.
[ 'Cube' Concept: Jay Hueser; origin 1977]
After dark; balloon-suspended cubes, moving with air currents and tugging spectator/technicians, are illuminated by follow-spotlights (effects heightened with synthetic smoke and flares demarking ground drawings) and slide projection on central balloons. Evening sound (of tubular chimes, also "divine proportion"; electronic tapes of running water and Bach excerpts); and, live reading of "structural poetry" including description of mathematical principles involved. A space-modulating "dancer"/figure (costumed in white with 'black-light' fluorescents, 'circle-lines' and 16" - 36" tubes, moves and gestures simply below central "Hypercube" on an elevating hydraulically-rising platform/box dramatizing sense of human scale involved in project and activating phosphorescent qualities available in ground ribbons and cube struts with ultraviolet light. These theatrical aspects of musical/poetic dancing geometry reify the dimensions of 1) horizontal tempo, 2) the vertical quality of volume, 3) depth of resonance/ sound and 4) the breadth of duration. Event/Setting an opportunity to observe transient beauty of experiential chaos and harmony with reason, perception and wonder.
Beginning with demarcation of area into squares and *'Golden Rectangles' by staked contractor's ribbon (of 3-4 fluorescent colors); *establishing central square, adjoining squares and rectangles. *Central square also defined by 4 staked dowels through 12"dia mirrors in 36"dia circles white stone on ground; dowels topped with prisms (ideally with nearby misting water sprinklers to create 'rain-bowing' effects in daylight.
Throughout the day, 6'dia helium-filled weather balloons are lifting one cube after another; 4 to each of hinged (8' X 1" X 1") cube edges which are painted fluorescent colors; with mirroring-mylar on insides. White 'polypropylene' line acting as tethers and black poly-line leading to suspending balloons lifting cubes. *Central cube is "Hypercube" (3D model of 4D shadow-projection) made of glitter-coated dowel (smaller cube within 8'sq cube).
Eventually, by dusk, a white-costumed dancer arrives to work on a hydraulic 'scissor-lift' deck. *Lift rises, at dark, after dancer begins simple moves; finally extended arms with fluorescent ('black lights') 'circle-lines' - then, 'U lines' lamps.
A.R.C. 50TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS/EXHIBITIONS/TOURS (tours 2017-2023)
October 2016 – October 2023
50 year parallel original 1ST- 3RD EXHIBITIONS October 1966-April 1967, North American Tours May 1967- December 1968, 1st European Tours May-October 1969 A.R.C.Group Members/Associates/Advisors/Interns Guest Artists/
Multi-Disciplinary Practitioners Guest Curators/Theoreticians
METRONOMICS Exhibition Adam Nankervis Curator: Another Vacant Space / Berlin
Starting September 2016 - 4/2017
Invited submission of 4 areas of 'structural art' activities; recent - 1969: 1) Hyper-Spatial Maquette (for City Water Park) central structure Entrance Gate, 2) SPACE Artist's Book, 3) Collage HOMAGE TO STAZEWSKI 1993, 4) A.R.C.Group Room (vinyl/plastic structures of 7 Artists in Modern Museum Zagreba New Tendencies 4/NT4 Zagreb 1969. 8-16 images, photographs, graphics/texts. As portion Show of works by late-Len Lye; AVS' David Medalla, A.Nankervis, D.Kuppferberg, et al.. T. Michael Stephens Constructive Artist & A.R.C.Group Members/Associates Technical Assistant J.S
A.R.C. 50 YEAR ARCHIVAL EXHIBITION+T.M.STEPHENS '63-'07 AnotherVacantSpace/Berlin
1/2017 – 3/2024
Invited submission of 2-part Exhibitions - Another Vacant Space/Berlin by Adam Nankervis Director/Curator honoring Art Research Center 50TH ANNIVERSARY 10/ 2016-10/2019 (tours 2017-'20) Celebrations T. Michael Stephens Constructive Artist & A.R.C.Group Members/Associates/Advisors Technical Assistants
(Downtown Architectural & Engineering Area)
SPAN OF A.R.C.GROUP 10 - Person Show - Recent Works 2 Founders, 3 Advisors, 5 New Associates
October 2016 – March 2017
Small 8-person Exhibition to elucidate range of recent and new works of A.R.C.Group as exemplified by showing works of 2 Founders Art Research Center 2 Advisors and of 4 new Associate Members from KCMO Area - Colton CA - Wroclaw/Chicago - Duluth - Buenos Aires -Munich - Mexico - Vienna: Computer/Cad Drawings on flat-screens, Color-Systems on Parabolic Mirrors (manipulable), VR of neo-"Unism" paintings, "Absolute Transparencies" systematic-color acrylic structures, maquettes/ architectural rendering, 'Reductive' intaglios, delineated space, Eco-Soundtrack : honoring A.R.C. 50TH ANNIVERSARY
T. Michael Stephens Constructive Artist: Planner/Designer/Presenter/Writer Jon Brees Thogmartin, Architect/Designer/Structural Artist,
Herbert W. Franke Writer/Theoretician, Computer Artist, Lief Brush Sonal/Ecological Artist Paul Cremoux W. Architect,Interior & Landcape Designer
GOSIA KOSCIELAK Artist/Designer VR "Unism" Judith Cisneros Artista Plástica/Geometry of light
Rebecca B. Alston Architect/Artist Relief Constructions, Paintings Amarie Bergman Associate Reductive Artist/Journalist
Anna-Maria Bogner Associate Reductive/Concrete Artist
'Wall Graphic' Restoration 2 LINEAR GOLDEN RECTANGLES OVERLAPPED City Bank 18th & Grand KCMO
August 2016 – April 2017
Painted restoration, 1981 Civic Design Awarded 'Wall Graphic' ; supervised by Essex Garner Chief Delineator A.R.C.'s Designers' Collaborative Consortium
Essex Garner Adjunct Faculty at Lincoln University of Missouri T. Michael Stephens Constructive Artist
Les Rencontres Internationale Composers/Multi-Media Projects Competition
May 2016 – October 2016 – 3/2017 – 10/2017
Art Research Center Group (A.R.C.50THANNIVERSARY) CITY EVENT PROPOSAL as entry in Les Rencontres International Composers/Multi-Media Competition. Available newly 'up'/posted Website: www.artresearchcentergroup.org 'About' pg 2. T. Michael Stephens Constructive Artist & A.R.C.Group Members/Associates/Advisors Technical Assistants
LIGHT CONSTRUCTIONS Exhibition: Glass, Metal, Wood, Plastics; Illuminated/Luminal/Kinetic/Manipuable/Interactive
December 2018 – October 2020
Exhibition of Light Constructions of structural materials: glass, metal, wood, plastics. Illuminated/luminal/ manipulable wall- mounted;
illuminated/luminal/kinetic suspended; illuminated/luminal/manipulable/ interactive table/pedestal-presented.
Illuminated Low/Projective Reliefs and Photograms/Photographs of/with same structural materials. Ideal for concert of percussive glass & metal for variable resonance/variable duration; 2-4 performers/or as low environmentally ambient sound.
T. Michael Stephens Constructive Artist
Exhibition LOW RELIEF CONSTRUCTIONS Triangulated/Lozenged Squares of Six Systematic Linear Color Sets/Shapes
December 2014 – May 2020
Square Low Relief Construction series: each square panel 14"X14"X1" glossy-white 'melmine'/wood with wooden 1"wX1/4"h ribbed-'porch-molding' as linear color strips enameled in six glossy colors (bright/ slightly-off-true ROYGBV) mounted in six triangular/overall/1/2over/trangular-space pattern variations on white panels. Square panel units mounted closely on flat-white walls in rows of sets/combinations-of-sets in horizontal rows or lozenge/diagonal rows/sets.
Possible: 1,296 variations - may be rearranged daily by gallerists/assistants.
Sound &/or concert of percussive wooden materials ("lumberimba", "boardaphone") &, perhaps, wooden recorders/reed instruments concentrating on 'resonance' & 'duration' may complement visual exposition/experience.
T. Michael Stephens Constructive Artist
KINETIC / LUMINAL SPATIAL ENVIRONMENT: Steel /Glass; Photography, Holography
January 1996 – October 2020
Large white-walled hall with 6 pedestal-mounted motorized stainless steel ('memory metal') each 2D shape/each construction: 1)'Trifoil', 2)'Spherical-Triangle', 3)'Squarefoil', 4)'Spherical-Square', 5) 'Pentafoil, 6)'Spherical-Pentagon'. All with motorized-rod-links; twist/untwist into various 3D forms from these 6 2D shapes at variable speeds so that, with white/colored spot-lights, unique light patterns thus projected on surrounding walls. [On 1st night wall-mounted roll (eye-level), of "C Print" is exposed (briefly) to this array of colored light projections - roll "C Print", taken down/immediately processed as continuous-color-print/
re-mounted to hall walls; as 'photo-positive': those few seconds previous night - another layer-of-light-experience.]
Suspended forest-like-throughout-space (eye-level) are motorized/luminal chromed/painted 1/8"steel wire grids in wave & spiral forms (approximately 3'X18"X4"-4'X2'X6" each). Alternately, every-other suspended free-moving module is glass circle/ellipse or metal rectangle/parallelogram (2'X18"X1/4"- 3'X18"X1/4" each).
End Wall mirrored; fronted 18" away: suspended sets of small squares, glass & rectangular holograms
(of photographed light-motion-patterns) gently free-moving with nearby manipulable 'goose-necked' mini-spots.
An experience of pure-light, almost ineffable/yet materially interactive space-time for participants/ viewers. Could be enhanced by concert &/or ambient sound based on percussive 'resonance' & 'duration' of made-instruments of glass & metal: chimes, bells, 'thunder-sheets', triangles, glass gongs, glass/metal xylophones; with, perhaps, some underlying electronic (low-tonal) sound. 2-6 performers T. Michael Stephens Constructive Artist
CLASSIC`CLEAR`CONSTRUCTS: 'Projective Relief' Constructions & Free-Standing Constructs; Clear-acrylic, chromed-steel, formed-clear-acrylic
May 1996 – October 2020
Series/Set 6 'Projective Relief' Constructions 1/4"thick heat-formed clear acrylic with chromed-steel framing/stands, transparent-pedestal-mounted & Series 6-9 Free-standing Constructs ('chair-sized') formed 3/4"thick clear-acrylic sheets. To be presented in 3-walls flat-white-painted-space with 4th wall painted gloss-black; ceiling, floors optional (or best: painted gloss-white/gloss-black/gray). Every pedestal-mounted construction/free-standing construct given individual pin/tight-spotlight. Gentle resonance/variable duration; percussive glass & metal with intervals of white-noise: ambient sound environment for this exposition/exhibition space.
Each 'Projective Relief' Construction a 1/4" clear-acrylic heat-formed 12" square, ('square'/'lozenge'-mounted) movable by pins holding conically-bored acrylic squares, at corners or midway, within 1/4" cylindrical chromed-steel rod, "U"-shaped frame/stand - 6 variations.
Also 6 variations of applied or penetrating clear-acrylic circular tubes & cylindrical rods 11/2"-6"dia X1"-6"long. 6 different positions on/through heat-formed (gently) double-curved-plane; each square previously (lightly) heat-indented with 9" round-cornered square pattern.
6-12 Free-Standing Constructs each formed 3/4"thick clear-acrylic sheet 3'X2', heat-formed corners/
curves into series: (when edge-viewed) of set of 1-6 numbers & set of 6 letters (vowels +'s').
Thus, producing an elemental presentation/combination: basic semi-systematic constructions and basic 'semiotic'ally-formed constructs for experience of light/space-time/semiotics and playful manipulation/rearrangement. This 3-4D event could be accompanied with 2D 'structural poetry' and 're-arranging-sets' of "kinder/flash-cards" numbers & "commonest words/phrases" table-displayed.
T. Michael Stephens Constructive Artist
ReGrouping/Dedications/ReGeneration/Archivalization/ Foundation
October 2015 – May 2017
As 50TH ANNIVERSARY began 2016; Most Important/Needed COMMEMORATIONS:
REGROUPING of distant/non-communicating Members, Associates, Advisors ...
DEDICATIONS for Our Losses (departed Friends/Mentors) ...
REGENERATION / Growth: 4 New Advisors, 4 New Associates and 4 invitations pending;
2 New Websites and several Associated/Related Sites, Links, Platforms ...
ARCHIVALIZATION / Retrieving/borrowing all possible documents/graphics/original art/maquettes
for exhibition and digitization of historic and current materials for safely Storing and
Sharing with Related/Pertinent Institutions: Getty Research Institute, Smithsonian Institute's Archives of American Art, US Library of Congress ...
Relevant Libraries/Institutions/Foundations/Groups Internationally:
ZKM (Center for Art & Media)/Karlesruhe, Compart DadaDigitalArt/Bremen, LEONARDO International Journal Art-Science &Technology, Museum Konstruktiv Haus/Zurich, MACBA/Buenos Aires, Graham Foundation/Chicago, Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas City Missouri Public Library, Charlotte Street Foundation/KCMO ...
FOUNDATION / Creating/Seeking/Securing Alliances/Support from Appropriate Midwest,
National, International Foundations, Institutions, Corporations, Individuals
Establishing an ART RESEARCH CENTER FOUNDATION developing
Continuity of Activities/Sites for Art Research Center Group; including
A.R.C. 50TH ANNIVERSARY Events/Exhibitions 2016-2019 (tours 2017-'20),
New Circle Publications and The International Institute for Modern Structural Art
RE:CONSTRUCTION
Co-Curators Mark Starel / Lodz : Pl T. Michael Stephen's A. R. C. / USA
18/22 International Artists Composers & Presenters 2022 - 2023
Lodz/Pl, Warsaw/Pl, Paris/ Fr
A.R.C.Group: PAST/PRESENT/ FUTURE
(IRAG) Institute for the Research of the Avant-Garde ZAGREB Cr 2022 - 2023
Zagreb, Cr