The Passenger 2015

Editor: This is "The Passenger" by Arne Quinze, created in 2015. It seems to be made from many pieces of wood, creating this impressive, nest-like public sculpture. I’m curious, what stands out to you when you look at this work? Curator: I'm immediately drawn to the material itself. The raw wood, seemingly salvaged and repurposed, speaks volumes. How does Quinze elevate these mundane materials, typically used for construction, to the realm of art? Editor: It definitely blurs those boundaries. Is it the scale of it, or maybe the site-specific nature that challenges those ideas of "high art"? Curator: Exactly. Consider the labor involved, the sheer amount of work in assembling this massive structure. Also, public art always plays with social space. How does the location transform our experience? Editor: It makes you consider the people interacting with it. People pass through, under and around the structure – becoming part of its story. Is Quinze trying to point us to that intersection of art and life? Curator: Yes. It almost hints at the transient nature of modern life itself, temporary structures erected and dismantled. Editor: That makes a lot of sense! Thinking about materials and process really reframes how I understand the intention behind this sculpture. Curator: It shifts the focus away from pure aesthetics to how we, as a society, create and consume. I learned a lot too from rethinking materials within art.