Artwork copyright Peter Reiquam, Frances Butler, and Marc Treib. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Peter Reiquam, Frances Butler, and Marc Treib. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Peter Reiquam, Frances Butler, and Marc Treib. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Peter Reiquam, Frances Butler, and Marc Treib. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Peter Reiquam, Frances Butler, and Marc Treib. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Various Light Pavilions and Armchairs Deluxe, Classic and Contemporary, 1989, reconceived in 1996

Peter Reiquam, Frances Butler, and Marc Treib
Peter Reiquam (American, born 1959); Frances Butler (American, born 1940); Marc Treib (American, born 1943)

Location: University of Washington, Seattle

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Various Light Pavilions and Armchairs Deluxe, Classic and Contemporary is composed of multiple elements created collaboratively by artists Peter Reiquam, Marc Treib, and Frances Butler. It was originally installed in 1989 on the rooftop terrace of the University Hospital in Seattle.

The steel mesh of the pavilions cast shadows in moiré patterns. "Moiré" is an optical illusion created by shifting and overlapping patterns that confuse the eye. Several of the mesh panels feature cut-out phrases from "The Garden" by 17th Century English Poet Andrew Marvell. An accompanying plaque includes the full text of this poem. The interplay of light, shadow, and text within the pavilions and on the armchairs invites the viewer into a contemplative space.

Marc Treib and Frances Butler designed the pavilion structures and a water feature made of tile and stone. Peter Reiquam created ten galvanized steel armchairs in three styles, placed within the pavilions. Reiquam also fabricated and installed the pavilions. This ensured continuity among materials and in the construction of all elements.

In 1996, at the request of the University of Washington and with the approval of Treib and Butler, Reiquam reconstructed the installation into a series of courtyards at Meany Hall. The tile and stone water feature in the original installation was not reconstructed.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with University of Washington.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Seattle-based artist Peter Reiquam creates imaginative and interactive sculptures for public spaces. Reiquam earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington in Seattle and a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from Yale University in Connecticut.

Frances Butler is a California-based book artist, textile artist, and professor. She is Professor Emeritus of Design at the University of California, Davis where she has taught since 1970. Butler earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Arts degree in History from Stanford University. She earned a second Master of Arts degree in Design from the University of California, Berkeley.

Marc Treib is a California-based artist, professor, and historian. He is Professor Emeritus of Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has taught since 1969. Treib earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Florida. He earned both a Master of Architecture degree and a Master of Arts degree in Design from the University of California, Berkeley.