To The Power of Twelve  2013
Arrowhead Stadium--Kansas City, Missouri 

Commissioned by the Hunt Family and Kansas City Chiefs Organization 

Osage orange milled wood and branches, paint, CNC cut aluminum, stainless steel fasteners, dichroic film, plexi-glass, cables

 

This artistic vision stands for the historical foundation of the Chiefs. It reflects the complex construction of a successful team aided by the undying support of the 12th Man.  The heartbeat of this organization once created by the seeds of Lamar Hunt lives on strong today, sustained by the family ownership, front office, players and the fans.

The experience of this space for the fan is likened to the players coming out through the tunnel onto the field.  There are 12 structural rib-like members reflecting the 11 players and the “12th Man”.  Encased/Protected within this structure is a translucent shape that references a seed.  The translucent dichroic elements of the seed structure will prismatically change color depending on the angle the light.  It appears to change color as the spectator views it from different angles.

The backside of the structure consists of Osage Orange tree branch structures.  Osage Orange is a wood indigenous to our region, highly prized by the Osage for its’ strength in making bows.  The Osage Orange tree was traditionally used as fencing hedge by farmers and ranchers prior to barbed wire.  These branch structures transform into the refined milled hardwood of the structure.  These forms encircle the inner seed like a team huddle.  The raw wood, like the raw talent of players, is worked into a finely choreographed team.  All of these arrowhead tipped structures converge to create one true vision.    While static in space the piece and its’ reflections convey a strong dynamic sense of movement.