The Islands of the Rose Apple Tree Surrounded by the Oceans of the World for you, Oh My Darling by Alice Aycock

About the Artist

Aycock was born in 1946 in Harrisburg, PA and is a well known American sculptor and installation artist. She studied at Douglass College in New Jersey and received her Bachelor of Arts and then continued her studies at Hunter College to receive her Master of Arts. Throughout her studies she was both taught and supervised by sculptor and conceptual artist Robert Morris. Her early work focused on Land Art and associations with the environment, along with addressing issues of privacy and interior space and the body’s relationship to architecture and the built environment. One of her best known pieces is called Maze and was created with the intent for the participant to traverse the labyrinth to its center and experience disorientation on the way in and discomfort on the way out.

The Sculpture

Birds eye view of the sculpture as Aycock intended for it to be viewed

Alice Ayock created, The Islands of the Rose Apple Tree Surrounded by the Oceans of the World For You, Oh My Darling, in 1987 inspired by landscapes, tantric drawings that placed Mount Meru at the cardinal center, along with multiple views of both heaven and hell. She wanted a birds eye view of the sculpture because she equated a feeling of flight with a feeling or state of desire. 

Along with this, Aycock built the sculpture into the ground, making it apart of the surrounding land. She created the piece in such a way that allows water to flow through the spaces between her designs, making the sculpture act as a fountain as well.

Water flowing through the sculpture

Our Interpretation

 

In order to further our understanding and illustrate our interpretation of the sculpture we decided to create a graphic that portrays the sculpture based solely off the title. The illustration depicts the sculpture floating in a body of water(surrounded by the oceans of the world) with an island in the center(the island of the rose apple tree). Along with this, the title of the sculpture is wrapped around the image. The stark contrast between the image of the gray sculpture and the blue water is similar to the contrast found between the original concrete sculpture and the green grass surrounding it.

Sources

  • React Research Execute: https://wp.wwu.edu/wwuart109/?s=the+islands+of+the+rose+apple+tree
  • Alice Aycock Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Aycock
  • Western Gallery: https://westerngallery.wwu.edu/sculpture/islands-rose-apple-tree-surrounded-oceans-world-you-oh-my-darling
  • The People History: http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1987.html
  • 1980: http://www.liketotally80s.com/2007/08/80s-capsules-1980/

Project By:

Sydney Beckett(Admin and photographs)

Elliot Quasha(Illustration)

Nazar Patriy(Writing)