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Wood Pile November 30, 2007 - November 30, 2007

About the Work

In Spring 2009, the Cleveland Museum of Art approached LAND studio about creating a one-night, temporary installation for its Summer Solstice Celebration on June 20, 2009. The museum wanted a project that would create a sense of excitement leading up to the event and provide impact and visibility during the party.

Artist Mark A. Reigelman II created Wood Pile, a temporary installation on the perimeter of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s East Wing. Running along East Boulevard, Wood Pile was made of 18,720 recyclable pool noodles, each measuring 12 inches in length and roughly 4 inches in diameter, creating a sculpture stretching over 470 linear feet. The massive sculpture paid tribute to ancient Midsummer-related traditions.

While exploring these traditions, Reigelman was particularly impressed by the massive wood-piles collected months in advance for use in the most important and traditional of summer solstice celebrations: bonfires. According to Reigelman, a 2006 graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, some traditions require fires to begin one week before solstice and burn for one week after, which means woodpiles would need to be as big as houses.