Pillar is, at its core, a meditation on the construct and marking of time.
This sculpture physically embodies one year, composed of 12 individual discs—each representing a month—stacked from January at the top to December at the base. The height corresponds to the number of days in a year, while the 24-inch circumference symbolizes the 24-hour day. At its foundation, two base discs mark the summer and winter solstices, with their seams aligning precisely with the sunrise and sunset on those days. This design also allows December to remain elevated, becoming even more pronounced when snow covers the ground.
Pillar challenges us to consider time as a human construct—our division of it into months, weeks, days, and hours being an artificial framework imposed on the flow of existence. It invites interaction, offering a tangible representation of the passing year. By counting down the months and circling around to locate a specific day, individuals can engage with time in a physical way (a guide or plaque would provide further instructions).
The work also prompts reflection: what might a field of Pillars look like if each represented a year of one’s life? In doing so, it encourages not just contemplation of the past but, more importantly, an awareness of the present—the time we inhabit now.
