jill anholt studio: 'line of work'

the installation illuminated at night
photo © martin tessler



'line of work' by jill anholt studio
photo © martin tessler

canadian jill anholt studio were commissioned by worksafeBC to design a permanent
public installation. recently complete 'line of work is situated along the vancouver
convention centre's green roof and seawall in the city's centre.


photo © martin tessler

the concept for 'line of work' is based upon the 'ripple effect' or more specifically
the notion that single elements working together can become more than the sum of
their parts.  the sculpture is composed of a changing series of individual elements
that together create a giant wave-form that reaches out towards the sea. the elements
grow in both size and reach along the edge of a pedestrian pathway connecting
the vancouver convention centre to the seawall and forming an increasingly protective
enclosure; a concept that carries throughout the project from the overall sculptural form,
to materiality and construction, and to the organization of the text within the piece.


'line of work' structure
photo © martin tessler

'line of work' is composed of a series of stainless steel frames supporting laminated
yellow cedar elements that cantilever increasingly in reach and angle outwards from
their base. the installation spans over 110', each element is 20' tall and varies from 2-8'
in depth. there are 17 elements in total; the 15 in the centre represent 150 years of british
columbia’s provincial history plus one at either end representing BC’s past and future.
the wood elements are carved with occupations that follow this rough time line, moving
from pre-1850s through to post 2010, reflecting larger scale shifts in the provincial economy:
from occupations surrounding natural resource extraction toward processing and manufacturing
and finally into service and technology. the piece includes both general and specific
occupations, to chart larger cultural shifts and to include meaningful individual examples.

while the conceptual approach provides a framework that reflects some of the core mission
of worksafe, that of protection, inclusion and growth, 'line of work' remains open to
interpretation at different scales. the overall wave-form can be viewed from a great distance
as an integrated dynamic and organic element within the iconic folded green roof of
the convention centre.


photo © martin tessler


photo © martin tessler


detail
photo © martin tessler


photo © martin tessler


photo © martin tessler



photo © martin tessler


model of 'line of work'
image courtesy jill anholt studio


model of 'line of work'
image courtesy jill anholt studio



image courtesy jill anholt studio


'line of work' occupational structure
image courtesy jill anholt studio


detail of line of work - occupational structure
image courtesy jill anholt studio



detail of line of work - occupational structure
image courtesy jill anholt studio

detail of line of work - occupational structure
image courtesy jill anholt studio