Quilted Planes

Washington D.C.

A suspended sculpture made from climbing ropes used by National Geographic Society explorers for the organization’s headquarters in Washington D.C., installed in 2018
Year
2018
Body of  Work
Size
6 × 24 × 1 ft
Location
Washington D.C.
Materials

Repurposed climbing rope donated by National Geographic Explorers

paracord

steel

Commissioned by
National Geographic

The Quilted Planes (2018) sculptures are geometric abstractions of natural forms: mountain peaks, valleys, and waves. Like real-world landscapes, the kaleidoscopic vistas change as the viewer moves around and under the pieces. Indeed, the viewer’s changing perspective is required to complete the work. Quilted Planes also resembles 3D quilts, not only in their patterns of cubes but in the way they were constructed simultaneously by a team of individuals each responsible for their own squares. In the same way that quilts make use of fabric scraps with past lives, the works benefit from ropes donated by National Geographic Explorers such as Conrad Anker and have been used in descents into live volcanoes, to study tree canopies, and on polar ice expeditions—precious materials the artist was honored to use.

Credits
Artist
Windy Chien
Collaborator
Team Members
Fabricator
Production/Installation Support
Interior Design
Photography
Garrett Rowland