Nadir #5

Túlio Pinto, Brazil (2014)

Description

This artwork was featured in the International Pavilion, which was open to the public between June and October 2014.

Title: Nadir #5
Artist: Túlio Pinto (b. 1974, Brazil)
Medium: Two sheets of glass, steel cables, and several boulders
Dimensions (H x W): Glass: 2.74 x 1.83 m (9 x 6 ft). The artwork was exhibited in a space measuring 9.14 x 9.14 m (30 x 30 ft).
Weight: Boulders: 272 kg (600 lbs)
Location: International Pavilion (North Vancouver, Pipefitters Building: 19 Wallace Mews) from June to October 2014

 

For the installation of Nadir #5, two panes of glass were supported at a precarious angle by the counterweight of the great stones.  The work, and its inherent tension, existed as a dialogue between the materials and the forces of gravity.

The artwork, which focused on the harmony of counterparts, was named for the astronomical term nadir, which refers to the lowest point on the celestial sphere from the point-of-view of an earth-bound observer.  Pinto’s interest in the coexistence of opposites could be seen in his choice of materials.  Nadir #5 created both a literal and conceptual balance, as industrial and organic materials were contrasted yet acted together to balance against gravity.  During its installation Pinto’s artwork invited the viewer to question physical and natural boundaries.

 

Listen to the audio tour by Maya Donkers: