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I was in San Francisco in October 2008 visiting SFMOMA where I was astounded by the Brought to Light, Photography and the Invisible, 1840-1900. It was an exhibiton that highlighted early photographic work exploring micro and telescopic investigation. Delicious.
When I emerged I was a witness to the installation process of Martin Puryear’s Ad Astra (2007), a 63-foot-tall work that rises to the museum’s fifth-floor bridge. I hope these photographs give you a good sense of the shear scale. This is SFMOMA’s Haas Atrium and the crane that you see extends 2 floors. The title derives from: Ad astra per ardua, meaning “to the stars through difficulty,” and Ad astra per aspera, which translates as “to the stars through rough things or dangers.” This sapling navigates delicately, with dexterity and tremendous ambition towards Valhalla.
