DATE: May 1, 2008 3:02:17 PM PDT
"The Islands of the Rose Apple Tree Surrounded by the Oceans of the World for You, Oh My Darling," 1987
© Alice Aycock

Rather than forcing the viewer to traverse the structure, as in Serra's sculpture, Alice Aycock emphasized a bird's eye view. Inspired by tantric drawings of the origin of the world, landscapes and various views of heaven and hell, she focused on the sacred mountain Meru which is at the center of the universe and which has many different plateaus and islands. She transformed a 2-D metaphor into a 3-D theatrical structure. The fountain with its flowing water sets up a dialogue between the natural and the artificial or fantastic world. Photo credit: Dave Wheeler

