the state of ruined state(s)

Although it was hard to detect any sign of it this morning while driving to work, as the streets and facilities crew busied themselves with the removal of the ice mounds  aligning many of the streets downtown, they say a warm front is coming, with temperatures rising into the 50s and, perhaps, some say even into the 60s this weekend. While Ithacans rejoice, eager with anticipation to have some relief from the frigid temperatures of late, we at station923 are especially excited because it will be the first time in months that we will be able to see the state of Robert Andrade’s sculpture Ruined State(s), which has been covered in a blanket of snow on the front lawn for some time.

For those unaware, Ruined State(s) is a site-specific outdoor piece created by Cornell MFA student Robert Andrade in August 2010, consisting of five cement squares resembling a sidewalk, each square containing an imprint of a map depicting the ancient city of Rome. The piece is designed to weather, crack and become ruins. Maybe it already has, we’ll find out soon..

As part of the installation, Andrade created a scaled-down model of the work, which happens to be on view at the CSMA Gallery as part of their current exhibition.  Titled, Passages: in honor of Black History, the show features work by eight local artists of diverse backgrounds and artistic traditions, including Robert Andrade, Raymond Dalton, Suzanne Onodera, Terry Plater, Jay Potter, Lin Price, Richard Robinson, and Sharl Smith, who explore concerns such as art, identity and history.

For more information on Robert Andrade’s art, check out this interview I wrote for TheIthacaPost: Minimalist Departure, October 2010