Olympus Manger’, Scene II was the latest artwork by Chicago artist Kelly Kaczynski. Two 16 foot tall skeletal wooden “mountains” elevated onto the ends of two separate stages invited audience members to ascend onto the stages and pull a rope that will gradually unite (and subsequetly destroy) the separate structures into one large mass.
Project sketch, 2008 ‘Olympus Manger’, Scene II extended Kaczynski’s ongoing interest in the juncture between art, architecture, theatre and landscape. It is the second installation in a continuing body of work. It incorporated forms made from basic construction material that mimic mineral deposits and geological debris, including boulders, crevices, valleys, and other land formations, which continue to shift throughout the duration of the exhibition as visitors simultaneously tug opposite ends of a rope causing the forms to change shape. As with much of Kaczynski’s previous work, the activation and physical participation of the audience is fundamental for the project’s realization. The structure had been designed specifically for the Art Center’s Gallery 1, utilizing its unique feature of five garage doors that open directly to the sidewalk and allow the public immediate entrance onto the stages of the sculpture, inviting further participation and chance experiences to occur.
