Public Property

Public Property

Public Property is a social sculpture that presents a commentary on public space, and the evolving nature of collective memory. A plywood box, approximately 8ft x 8ft x 8ft, partially painted gold with a pinhole for a camera obscura lens. Inside the box there’s a reversed image of City Hall with a sign marking the Dorrance Street entrance saying: “Public Property.” People may play with sculpture by walking / dancing etc. for the camera thereby being projected into the box. People may use their smartphones to film and photograph each other.

The installation of a large camera obscura brings together elements from different times and places – the Civil War era Soldiers and Sailors monument, City Hall, and the viewer’s present moment – into a single point of intersection. The box itself can be seen as a representation of a world line segment, encapsulating a moment where historical narratives (represented by the monument) intersect with contemporary civic realities (symbolized by City Hall). The words “PUBLIC” and “PROPERTY” on the sides of the box mark points along this world line, highlighting the evolving concepts of ownership and access through time.

Sy Meyer

2024

Mixed Media; Wood, Acrylic Paint; Camera Obscura Lens

25 Dorrance Street

6'x6'x7'

$22,000

General Fund

https://www.instagram.com/sylkerenemeyer/

Scott Alario

PVDFest Public Art