The State Topographical Models Project A regional project for one hundred and twenty small historical society museums in the states of Missouri and Kansas. in cooperation with GrandArts Gallery, Kansas City May 2003 Allan McCollum is in the process of working on two topographical "relief" models of two states, Kansas and Missouri. The prototype patterns were computer-carved from satellite data by a company in California that uses Geographical Information Systems data, and they are scientifically accurate to a fair degree (see: Solid Terrain Modeling). The heights of the geological features have been exaggerated slightly, to give a better picture of the elevations across the state. The topographical model of the state of Kansas is approximately 4 x 11 x 27 inches, and the model of the state of Missouri is approximately 3 x 23 x 17 inches. From these two patterns the artist has had two molds made, and from these molds a whole series of different ceramic sculptures will be created, glazed in deep, lush colors. These works will be exhibited at the GrandArts Gallery in November and December, 2003. In addition to the ceramic sculptures, the very same molds will be used to make inexpensive gypsum models that will donated to small, regional history museums in Kansas and Missouri. These donations will be facilitated by writing a few hundred letters to the small museums, offering the models as donations. The artist is planning to deliver the models to the museums himself, during a road trip he will make for that purpose in August, 2003. It can be very expensive to create a topographical model — but once a rubber mold is made, it can be relatively economical to produce them in quantity. McCollum is trying to "piggy-back" a practical, educational project on top of an art gallery project. He has designed the topographical model project to be looked at in two very different ways, by deliberately giving it two very different sets of significances — one in the world of contemporary art, and one in the world of regional history museums. The project is accompanied with a text by Rhea Anastas: See: Also in the Exhibition: To complement the model project, McCollum will be doing another series of artworks to be shown at the Grand Arts Gallery at the same time: small, black graphite drawings of all of Kansas and Missouri's counties, their shapes in silhouette — 218 county shapes altogether, each framed and matted in an 8" x 8" frame. See: SAMPLE SKETCHES OF COUNTY DRAWINGS Alphabetical list of Kansas Counties (105 total) See: SOME FINISHED IMAGES OF COUNTY DRAWINGS The Regional History Museum Project Details Mailing a Large Quantity of Offers: Missouri Mailing List Missouri Offering Letter, sent 07/02/03 Missouri Return Letter Kansas Mailing List Kansas Offering Letter, sent 07/02/03 Kansas Return Letter Email sent to MUSEUM-L listserv, sent 6/25/03 Webpage with photos of plaster models Webpage with photos of quantity mailing in process Descriptive letter to accompany each donation This paperwork is exchanged each donation Recipient Lists, Updated 8/29/03: See: RUNNING LIST OF RECIPIENTS  See: RUNNING LIST OF MAIL, E-MAIL, AND TELEPHONE EXCHANGES  ( See: RUNNING LIST OF LETTERS ARRIVING TOO LATE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT ) Reference Information for Deliveries: KANSAS CONTACT LIST
MISSOURI CONTACT LIST
Running List of Kansas Recipients Listed Alphabetically Running List of Kansas Recipients Listed by City Running List of Kansas Recipients Listed by County Running List of Missouri Recipients Listed Alphabetically Running List of Missouri Recipients Listed by City Running List of Missouri Recipients Listed by County See: SOME IMAGES OF THE DELIVERIES TO THE RECIPIENTS |
Visit :
Recent Projects
by the artist
Visit:
Allan McCollum
Website