Y&G#12 (curtain walls)

The artistic practice of Daniel Young and Christian Giroux exists at the intersection of art and architecture. From their respective positions as art historian and architect they create sculptures, installations and films that reflect upon the successes and failures of the built environment. This publication brings together for the first time three sculptures (Coaptation, Chagrin, and Eunoia) and a film (Camera Tracking a Spiral Drawn Between the Two Curved Towers of Viljo Revell’s Toronto City Hall). The common theme throughout is the glass curtain wall. The film, which documents an iconic example of Modernist architecture, provides the conceptual starting point and the sculptures follow through with customized acrylic and spider-clamp design conjoined with industrial racking systems to create human-scale works that invite us to reflect on the production of space in the urban environment. In his essay George Baird explores the history, symbolism and continuing importance of the glass curtain wall. Diana Nemiroff traces the conversation between the languages and forms of art and architecture in the work of the artists. 00Exhibition: Carleton University Art Gallery, Ottawa, Canada (16.09-15.12.2013).