Portals and Place: Changing Light in Transparency

I selected this window inside Porter Theatre because I was drawn to the drama of the tall tinted windows flanked by the two red armchairs, and because I wanted to create a piece to inspire the theatre students as they entered the building. I originally created a collage of the plays from the past season, which included an astronaut helmet and Dungeons and Dragons die, as well as elements that reflected the diverse student population. After sketching this initial design, I decided that it needed to more clearly reflect the work of the theater, so I drew an image to represent the upcoming D&D play She Kills Monsters. Each of the elements within the D20 die represent characters within the play, some of whom are cheerleaders, have a disability, or discover fantastical powers within. I was much happier with the final design, and felt that it reflected the playful and powerful spirit of Westmont's student actors and actresses.

Original design

Final design

Installation in Porter Theatre

Detail shot

 

Detail shot of the cutouts before installation

                Notice how the shapes and our perception of them changes once they are installed in the window versus how they are shown here, without background light or context of the theater building.