Have you ever gazed upon a sculpture so imposing, so geometrically intriguing, that it seems to defy gravity itself? Here at MIT, we stand before “For Marjorie,” a towering testament to the genius of Tony Smith. For Marjorie isn’t just a sculpture; it’s an experience. A dance between mathematical precision and artistic expression. Erected in 1977, this steel giant stands nearly twenty feet tall, its sharp angles and intersecting planes drawing your eyes upwards. The sculpture’s name, For Marjorie, holds a personal touch. It honors Marjorie Iseman, sister of the renowned painter Helen Frankenthaler and a dear friend of the Smith family. Tony Smith, a man of many talents, transitioned from architecture to sculpture in the late 1950s. His background in modular construction and mathematical design heavily influenced his artistic style, as evident in For Marjorie. The sculpture’s form is a complex interplay of geometric shapes. Imagine a rectangular prism, bent and contorted within the confines of a triangular pyramid. Its corners are sliced at angles, creating a dynamic tension between order and irregularity. Look closely at the cross-sections. One end appears trapezoidal, while the other takes on a triangular form. Even the negative space beneath the apex contributes to the geometric puzzle, hinting at further combinations of shapes. The sheer scale of For Marjorie makes it challenging to grasp in its entirety. Even Smith himself, the creator, found his forms difficult to draw, often resorting to three-dimensional models to fully realize his visions. For Marjorie began as a plywood model in 1961. It took fifteen years for the final steel version to grace the MIT campus. As you stand here, let your eyes wander over its surfaces. The interplay of light and shadow emphasizes the sculpture’s three-dimensionality, making it appear almost as if it’s in motion. For Marjorie isn’t simply an object to be observed; it’s an environment to be explored, a testament to the enduring power of artistic vision and mathematical precision.
Rumney Marsh Burial Ground
A chill wind whispers through the aged headstones. This is Rumney Marsh Burial Ground. This historic cemetery dates back to