Ridge
Photos by Elman Studio
Location
Oakland Park
3705 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22203
Maps Directions Transit Parking
Artwork Details
Artist: Foon Sham
Materials: Kebony wood
Installed: 2019
Artist Foon Sham’s signature aesthetic has been strongly shaped by natural landmarks that he has encountered on his travels, from the fjords in Norway to the Luray Caverns in Virginia. He works almost exclusively in wood and its by products. The form for Ridge was inspired by mountainous ridges, transforming landscapes one might see in nearby Shenandoah or the Blue Ridge Mountains into a human scale, interactive sculpture. The irregular surface of the stacked wood layers creates an uneven texture, mimicking the roughness of the natural world. Visitors are invited to walk through the structure and experience the vaulted interior space evocative of a cave or the interior of church, such as the Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain, which Sham cites as an influence. In coordination with improvements for Oakland Park, Ridge was created to function as a shading element for the active neighborhood green space.
Learn more about Foon Sham.
Funded by the Neighborhood Conservation program and from a private development public art fund contribution from Amelia 2, L.C. the owners of The Amelia Apartments.