Formerly a painter, Echelman began experimenting with nets sculptures in 1997 during a trip to India. She learned the art of net weaving from local fisherman of the Mahaballipuram region and then turned the humble craft into marvelous works of art. Now she knits the fabric of the city with her dreamy pieces all over the world. This latest piece hovers over her home city, Boston.
‘As If It Were Already Here’ is located within the Rose Kennedy Greenway public park and anchored to three high-rise buildings. It weighs approximately one ton and is hand-made from colorful polyethylene fiber tied up with over half a million knots. During the day it creates shadows on the ground, but at night the illuminated sculpture turns heads with its movement and glow.
Related: Janet Echelman’s Stunning String Sculptures Evoke the Aurora Borealis
Monumental yet delicate, ‘As If It Were Already Here’ will remain in the park until October thanks to a commission by the Greenway Conservancy and global firm Arup.
+ Janet Echelman
Photos by Melissa Henry, Peter Vanderwarker
