douglas Kornfeld
"Double Take" - 1996
Steel, aluminium, and vinyl - Acton Arboretum, Acton, MA.
This sculpture installation was made up of groups of two identical signs placed at various sites in the Acton Arboretum. At first glance they described a nearby object or condition. However, when the viewer compares the generic images with the actual object or condition a contradiction arises between the symbols on the signs and the actual conditions or objects portrayed. For example; the waves symbol, denoting water, is located next to a flat stagnant pond.
The purpose of this project was to question the nature of symbols and how they influence our thinking and our view of the world. These works show that symbols may not necessarily describe but can actually confuse, narrow, or even deny an actual situation.
