Here stand two vibrant structures. They’re not just any structures. They are part of Margo Sawyer’s Synchronicity of Color, specifically the blue sculpture. This artwork is iconic here at Discovery Green.
The Synchronicity of Color consists of four pieces. The city owns the largest two because they cover the underground garage stairwells. You can see the George R. Brown Convention Center right across from us.
Margo Sawyer is a celebrated Texas artist and a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. She conceived and fabricated these metal boxes. She participated in the master planning for the park.
The paint you see on Synchronicity of Color is special. It’s the same paint used on drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. It is made to last.
Sawyer created two “echoes” of the main pieces. There are orange-themed boxes at The Grove. You can also find a mix of colors at HPL Express. She believed the park would benefit from color. She delivered that vision many times over.
Synchronicity of Color was dedicated on April 3, 2008. It has become an icon for the city of Houston. The artwork is a two-piece architectural installment. It features red and blue themed aluminum boxes.
More than 1400 aluminum boxes create this vibrant work of art. The boxes conceal concrete stairwells. These stairwells lead into the Convention District parking garage beneath Discovery Green.
Sawyer’s artistic practice explores space and transcendence. Her works encourage contemplation within the viewer. Color is central to her work. She uses unexpected color combinations. She explores transparency, reflectivity, and luminosity. These elements create a psychological effect. Color becomes a window into our spiritual world.
Many of Sawyer’s artworks are entitled Synchronicity of Color. This name comes from Carl Jung’s concept of synchronicity. It refers to meaningful coincidences. These events reveal an underlying pattern. It is a conceptual framework, like a quilt. Her art unites color. It is a metaphor that celebrates our multicultural world.
Sawyer’s public artworks transform mundane structures. They become euphoric icons. She joins exquisite objects and materials into domestic spaces. She turns large public spaces into intimate refuges.
Synchronicity of Color was honored in Public Art in Review in 2009. It received recognition from America for the Arts & Public Art Network. It was praised for its commitment and leadership in public art.
Margo Sawyer has received many awards. These include the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship in 2018. She was the Texas State Three-Dimensional Visual Artist Laureate in 2015.
The Synchronicity of Color offers some of the most popular photo spots in the park. Take a moment to capture its beauty. Remember Margo Sawyer’s vision. She brought color and vibrancy to Discovery Green.