“Holistic Hologram – A 360 Adventure of Robert Maki’s Curve/Diagonal”

American artist, educator and sculptor Robert Maki designed and produced the minimalist sculpture Curve/Diagonal in 1978.The idea for the piece originated from studies he performed from 1974 to 1976. Though the piece’s original intent wasn’t to be gallery oriented, this became the case in 1979. The sculpture was then part of the Richard Hines Exhibition, was later purchased by the Virginia Write Fund in 1980, and in 1981 was installed on the Western Washington University campus, at the universities invitation, by the direction of Maki himself. It sits in a very specific location at Western in order to show how the sun changes the dimensionality of the piece. Maki also designed the curved piece of the sculpture to echo the curve of the Mathes Hall dormitory located behind the artwork. This clever positioning did not however come without some exploration on the artist’s part. In order to find a suitable, justifiable location for the piece, Maki and an assisting team made a mobile, full scale wooden model of the sculpture that they could relocate in order to gage the effects of the sun in different locations.  Thanks to the aid of the sun, the piece is designed to change and shift from hour to hour, day to day, and throughout the year. This shift is a change of dimensionality due to how the light of the day falls upon the piece. Which is largely the point; as the use of light, time, motion (central of the art elements utilized by Maki) and conscious, intentional positioning are meant to mirror and contrast with the land around it.

Robert Maki

Now that we’ve had a glimpse at the intentions of the artist in the composition and arrangement of the sculpture, let’s take a closer look at the artist himself to grip a greater understanding of his origins. Maki is a contemporary visual artist and sculptor who was originally born in Walla Walla Washington in 1938, and was raised in the Pacific Northwest. After having decided to stay close to his roots, he pursued secondary education at Western Washington University. He studied art and technical drawings, later earning a Bachelor’s degree in Art from Western in 1962.  He was later awarded Alumni of the Century in Art at WWU. He later sought out a career in education at the University of Washington where he taught mechanical drawing, art and art history. In addition to his previous achievements, he was also awarded Honorary Lecturer in the art department at UW. He eventually married, now, Dee Ann Maki, and together they brought life to their daughter Andrea Maki, who much like her father, is also pursuing a career in the arts.

Authors:  Ezequiel Guzman    Luke Munro    Lexi Wilkinson

Filming: Ezequiel Guzman & Luke Munro

Filmed using GoPro and GoPro editing software

Music by: android lust