Richard Harrington
A Twin Crystal is when two cubes joined at the vertex. I've always
loved experiencing entities be they mathematical or perceptual where
the retinocortex is challenged to alernately see one thing or another
in the same object or graphic... ala the artwork of M.C. Escher or
Victor Vasarely to name just two. This behavior "may" be related to or
have evolved from the property of stereopsis where a stereoptic
predator must look carefully to detect the camouflaged freeze response
of prey. Be that as it may, in spite of the fact that I built this
object from scratch, I don't necessarily consider myself a
constructivist, formalist, or a Platonist. Where this object fits in
that mathematical continuum luckily is still a mystery to me.
This is a mild paradox for lack of a better term in that it is
virtually impossible to see both cubes at the same time. Its
hexagonal symmetry where the two cubes are joined kind of
differentiates itself perceptually from the puzzle of the cubes
themselves even though its the common vertex where they are
joined. The regular serration along the edges involved in the
assembly of this object also adds a dimension of visual intrigue.
Because of the structural limits of the hardware cloth joining the
gridded material in this way is necessary. The moire patterns
created by the material are also one of the reasons that I do so
love working with this material. In Japanese aesthetics the
practice of wabi sabi comes to mind.