Janet Echelman Highlights the Impact of Time for '1.78 Madrid' Thread Sculpture
“This is a hopeful trajectory for humanity.”
Renowned American artist Janet Echelman has taken to Madrid, Spain to unveil her latest sculpture. Situated above Plaza Mayor’s statue of King Philip III of Spain, “1.78 Madrid” is a “suspended thread sculpture” and the latest entry in the Earth Time Series she started in 2010. As Arch Daily puts it, the piece examines “the idea of time, and our interconnectedness with the physical systems which influence our relationship with time itself.” The “1.78” in the title comes from 1.79 microseconds, ”the amount of time that a day on Earth was shortened as a result of the 2011 Earthquake in Japan.”
“In the last four hundred years, people have gathered at Plaza Mayor to witness bull-fights and Spanish Inquisition burnings,” Echelman explains to Arch Daily. “Today we gather together with art that explores our concept of time, to discuss ideas. This is a hopeful trajectory for humanity.”
Originally unveiled this past Friday to commemorate Madrid’s 400th anniversary, the piece will be on display until February 19.
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