Back in October, I visited Stella Arbelaez-Tascón in her UCF Masters program art studio where she quickly sketched out an idea of an installation titled, The Cathedral: Within and Without for me while I watched. It was an idea that had been living in her head, rent free, for a very long time, and she now wanted to make it a reality. Hurricane Milton had ripped through Central Florida and knocked over several trees on her property. Huge root balls forced fence posts up into the sky. Large stalks of bamboo were scattered in the yard. After destruction, comes recovery and creation.
I volunteered in my small way to help bring the vision to life. It was exciting getting to watch her problem solve at every step of the process. She knew exactly how she wanted it to turn out, and the engineering involved would be adjusted based on the demands of the naturally sourced materials. Since we were always involved in the difficult task of creation of the behemoth installation, there was never time for me to sketch. The Cathedral is constructed of heat treated bamboo, solar lights, natural rope, steel fence posts, rebar, wire and a motion sensor box. It is 8 feet in diameter by 22 feet high.
All the bamboo for the installation was sourced right from Stella’s yard. Many were already fallen and Stella cut the others down using a machete. A few months later, while I sketched the work on the opening night of her MFA exhibit, I heard some students asking one another where where Stella had sourced so much bamboo. I wanted to shout out, but decided to remain the silent witness.
This is how Stella described the piece: “In this piece, I capture the experience of being enveloped by towering cathedral like trees, where the enormity of the natural world brings forth a profound awareness of one’s own smallness. The simplicity of the lines within the work invites the viewers gaze upward, toward the heavens, offering a pathway to the transcendence beyond the physical self, without the distractions of earthly possessions. It encourages a deeper appreciation of life by prompting reflection on the fleeting nature of human existence, contrasted against the timeless and majestic presence of the environment that surround us.”
It was a cold night as I sketched. In the gallery there was an exciting mini Disney Feature Animation reunion of artists showing their support for Stella. I left the lively conversations when I saw that it was dark outside. I wanted to sketch the cathedral against the pitch black night sky. I deeply respected Alex, the undergrad student, who was on duty as docent to the piece. She was the only person wearing a mask protecting herself and others in the ongoing pandemic. She encouraged everyone who left the warmth of the UCF Art Gallery to enter the Cathedral. People who did enter, were greeted with the sounds of chirping birds. All were invited to lie on their backs and look upwards. Many did. Before sketching, I entered myself and looked upwards. The bold lines of the bamboo pointed to the stars. It felt like a more elegant, refined Stonehenge.
As I sketched I could hear everyone’s comments. When people entered the structure they were greeted with the sounds of birds chirping. A motion sensor would play the audio when people were inside. Mostly people felt peace when they entered the Cathedral. One woman told her boyfriend that she would love to have one in her back yard. She could use it for reflection and meditation. Most people exiting the UCF Masters exhibition titled Haunt, made their way to the installation and experienced it first hand. It became a place where people congregated, adjusting to the cold evening and sparked excited conversations to warm up. It also became the place where people hugged for the last time as they went their separate ways. It was a portal back to reality.
Haunt is on display until March 7, 2025 at the UCF Art Gallery (12400 Aquarius Agora Drive Orlando Florida.) Unfortunately The Cathedral is only on display through February 25th. I will be helping Stella dismantle the piece that day. The logistics of moving such a large piece are incredible. The U-Haul Truck Stella rented to move it is just barely large enough for the tall bamboo poles. One pole in particular had to be put in the truck at just the right angle, corner to corner, for it to fit. She has been keeping the installation in a storage facility and once again the poles just manage to fit. The stalks were protected from Florida’s humidity by being heat treated with a flame thrower and covered in varnish to protect them. Fans were placed to keep the air moving. It would be nice if the installation found a more permanent home where others could experience the peace and wonder it inspires.
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