Alpine Monument
Split opinions, polarisation and divergence. These are contentious issues at play in our current political and geographical landscape. This sculpture, nestled in the depths of the Chamonix mountains, attempts to capture some of these shifts in an established paradigm. The shifts are interpreted through a multitude of aspects within the proposed sculpture, addressed through distinctive moves within the architectural sculpting.
In plan. The splitting of the earth. Emerging from this are two structures enfolding and rippling through the landscape, at first grounded, and connected within it. These structures start off side-by-side, heading in the same direction but, as horizontal shifts occur, slowly the two structures start to diverge, leaving a wider and wider gap between them, ultimately splitting into different directions. This is illustrative of changing opinions and how quickly these can take on completely different, independent directions.
In elevation. The sculpture slowly emerges from the earth, gaining height and prominence as it moves forward. Unexpected vertical translations occur as these structures progress through the landscape. These contractions and expansions are illustrative of how fast the majority of votes can swing from one side to another during a campaign. In structure and texture. The skins are made of very simple structures of vertical primary beams and secondary lighter horizontal beams. The cladding is natural long strands of thin hard wood, the direction of which follows along the same lines dictated by the unfolding structures, ultimately disintegrating as the sculptures diverge. This erosion picks up on not only the break down in communication between disagreeing parties but also the erosion of the connection across the channel after the Brexit vote.
Finally, in section. The scale of the sculpture is a reminder that all majority vote decisions have long lasting effects on the geo-political landscape. The sculpture lets people walk amongst it and through it as a reminder of this. These structures are an embodiment of our current geo-political landscape, addressing serious controversial issues of divergence, polarisation and antagonism within our societies’ opinions.
