Kris Perry: Mother Earth
New Public Artwork
Mother Earth
2020
CorTen Steel
35′ Tall
Artist Kris Perry says:
“Like so many others in Hudson and beyond, I was sorry but not surprised that Basilica has cancelled its spring programming due to the Coronavirus. I know how hard the entire Basilica team has worked to make this, their tenth-year anniversary, a special season. Since its inception, Basilica has proven itself a thriving hub for the arts in the Hudson Valley. A multinational array of artists, makers, and other creatives have worked in this venue; it has proven to be a welcoming place for all, and has become the epicenter of a vibrant community.
“While their doors are closed for now, the creativity and community nurtured within lives on. Basilica’s focus in 2020 is on the natural environment, so I have been thrilled to install my newest steel sculpture, Mother Earth, on their grounds. I have worked with their team to create an outdoor space to visit in this difficult time–a perfect place for self-reflection. I hope that during its stay at Basilica Hudson, Mother Earth will serve as symbol of hope and a testament to resilience in the days ahead.”
Basilica’s revised spring 2020 program launches with the unveiling of artist Kris Perry’s 35’ CorTen steel sculpture Mother Earth, which will be on display on Basilica’s grounds until summer 2020. Rooted in both ancient and futuristic architectural forms, Mother Earth compels viewers to contemplate their relationship to the natural world. The sculpture asks viewers to both look inward towards the self and outward towards the cosmos to discover one’s personal and collective responsibility to the planet we all call home.
The sculpture combines skyward directed elements common in temples, mosques, and churches with the open columned spaces seen in Classical Greek public buildings. Mother Earth’s upward reaching spire represents a moral compass and is reflected by an inverse spire, focused towards the Earth. Participants walk through the sculpture to occupy its central space where one considers their relationship to the natural world, with the suggestion that care for our collective home should be a guiding force in our lives.