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Bells
have called communities to worship and signaled momentous
events throughout the world for thousands of years.
Bell towers, by elevating the bell, greatly expand
the voice of the bell into the countryside.
And so the bell tower became one of the key symbols
of community, reaching for the clouds, often the first
sign on the horizon as travelers approached village or
town.
Translating
this concept of bell towers as both signaler and signifier
into an experiential sculpture proved challenging.
Most bell towers are accessed by means of a narrow,
steep stairway up to the bell chamber.
In my Bell Tower, the entry passage is horizontal,
but the timbers which line it are stepped to become a
visual metaphor for the stairs.
The
bell chamber is nearly square, just big enough for several
people to enter. The
bell is suspended by chain from an overhead beam, and the
large rubber mallet used to strike the bell hangs by chain
from the same beam.
The
entire structure is built of 4x8 timbers suspended between
4x4 posts, all weathered Douglas fir painted white to
suggest whitewash. The
thickness of these walls contains much of the intensity of
the bell when it is rung, and the deep, powerful
vibrations are felt as well as heard by those within the
Bell Tower.
Dimensions:
7.5 ft. high x 14 ft. by 6.5
ft. |
