Parallax Gap, an architecturally-inspired work on view at SAAM's Renwick Gallery, is suspended from the ceiling of the Bettie Rubenstein Grand Salon and runs the length of the room. Created in a series of layers, it depicts nine different ceilings of iconic American buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries—some contemporaneous with the design and construction of the Renwick, beginning in 1859. The installation plays with the ideas of depth and perspective, offering the viewer a multitude of vantage points to explore the work. It is based on the concept of parallax—how the distance or depth of objects appears to vary when viewed from different lines of sight. It riffs on both Western and Eastern concepts of perspective through trompe l'oeil effects and multiple vanishing points, creating a sense of soaring volume and the illusion of both real and abstracted architectural space.
During the past few weeks, we've watched as the installation was assembled on the ground, raised to the top of the Grand Salon, and then beautifully lit.
Here is a timelapse of Parallax Gap’s installation:
Parallax Gap was designed by FreelandBuck, an architectural design practice based in New York and Los Angeles. Independent curator Helen B. Bechtel coordinated the installation. It will remain on view until February 11, 2018.
