Two Rivers

Laser Cut Acrylic Plastic

11.5 x 17.5 x .25 inches

Numbered and Signed Edition of 20

Published November 30th, 2005, by The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

Two Rivers combines John F. Simon, Jr.'s fascination with river forms and his experiments in laser fabrication. The two rivers depict contrasting types of flow. The upper river is a 'meandering' form that is characteristic of a mature and even flow. The lower river is a 'braided' form that results from flooding. Simon chose to cut and physically lift portions of the meandering stream above the surface of the piece. The channels of the braided stream are, by contrast, deeply engraved. The piece is made of sanded white acrylic plastic. Simon used a solid color to emphasize the surface texture. He choose this piece as an experiment in the visual/tactile because manipulating physical texture is not a possibility in his well known software artworks. Nevertheless, software processing of geologic maps and computer control of the laser were at the heart of this production.

This artwork is for sale at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, CT.