Alluvial Mirror, Patrick Marold, 2021
SERVICES PROVIDED: Design coordination, Materials research, Budget management, Engineering coordination and oversight, Fabrication oversight, Lighting design development, Shipping, Installation services, Scheduling, Project close-out.
For the Julia Street entrance to the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center artist Patrick Marold designed Alluvial Mirror, a sculpture that pays homage to the pedestrian park’s historic location on the riverfront where a sandy beach once naturally formed due to the river’s alluvium. Alluvial, derived from the Latin alluvius, refers to the soils deposited by surface water. The alluvium of the river and its mineral deposits are complemented by the New Orleans community and culture that has developed, transformed, and established itself over the centuries.
Alluvial Mirror’s form is influenced by a trumpet’s bell, standing upright, referencing New Orleans's vibrant music scene. The form physically blends the surroundings into an abstracted fan of color and light, embracing the dynamic conditions of the day and night. The sky and architecture are visually bound in the reflective stainless steel and the viewer’s perspective is manipulated to include an expanded peripheral field of vision. The movement of people, passing autos, and the sky are further enhanced as the viewer approaches or passes by the sculpture.
Digital rendering and installation images courtesy of Patrick Marold.
