Plynth and Pylon from the Project Vista Sculpture

Have you ever considered the power of a base? We’re at the Plynth and Pylon from the Project Vista Sculpture in Seattle. And the plinth here plays a crucial role. The Plynth and Pylon are part of Project Vista, a series of public artworks along Beacon Avenue. Created by artist Clark Wiegman in 2000, these stainless steel structures stand as testaments to artistic vision. The Plynth and Pylon aren’t just abstract forms. They are incised with waterjet-cut calligraphy by Alex Wu. This calligraphy deconstructs and rearranges characters from a Confucian proverb. The proverb, reinterpreted through chance, adds another layer of meaning to the artwork. The plinth, a heavy base, elevates the Pylon. It creates a separation between the everyday world and the art. This separation encourages us to view the Pylon as something special, something to contemplate. The Pylon itself is a vertical structure, reaching skyward. Think of ancient Egyptian pylons, monumental gateways to temples. While the Pylon here isn’t a gateway, it shares that sense of grandeur and significance. The Plynth and Pylon invite us to consider the relationship between base and structure, between earth and sky, between the written word and artistic expression. They are a testament to the power of public art to enrich our lives.