Enviro-Scope

The Enviro-scope is a site-specific optical sculpture / installation art work. The work takes the form of a large telescope like viewing portal, (4m long by 1.5m diameter at the viewing end and 0.2 m at the far end) which was constructed from local wild Poplar forest trees. The Poplar timber has been constructed into a series of diminishing geometrical (hexagons) structures held within a skeletal frame (designed references truss styled telescope designs). The telescope / viewing portal is seated at eye height on the edge of a river with the viewing end located on the river bank and the far end of the portal suspended out over the water of the river. On the opposite side of the river are three large circular mirrors (2 x 1.2m diameter and 1 x 0.6m diameter). These three mirrors are suspended off a high cliff face and each mirror is directed to reflect a specific element within the environment – Sky, Water and landscape. When a viewer approaches the work from the river bank the receding geometries direct their attention toward the mirrors and the environmental fragments that is reflecting, such as trees, water, sky, rocks and landscape formations become the subject of the observer’s gaze. These installations are constructed from a combination of mirrors and locally sourced poplar forest timbers which have been assembled to create various viewing scopes. Each work presents the observer with reflected fragments of the environment at Vaughan Springs such as trees, water, sky, rocks and landscape formations. At different times of the day and in different weather conditions the work is active and affected. Wind blowing through the caused the suspended scope to gently rise and fall, water ripples and mirrors move and shimmer. Visualisations of white clouds and blue sky over lap reflections of flowing water and landscape. At night, stars can be seen to move slowly across the large mirrors. The work is always in a state of flux which echoes the rhythms of space and light within landscape around it. The aim of this work is to invoke an act of conscience observation and a visceral and reflective relationship between the self and the environment and its ecologies, form and histories.