CAL-EPA
HEADQUARTERS BUILDING

This was a public art Commission from the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission. The commission was for eight major pieces (one for each department) in a 25-story building (the California Environmental Protection Agency’s new headquarters).

The challenge was to create eight disparate artworks that would stand on their own but still be related as a whole — even when separated by several floors of building. My solution was to represent eight beautiful and fragile environments unique to California. These artworks are arranged vertically in the building by elevation. As such, “Mt. Shasta” is on the top floor, and the “Monterey Bay Canyon” is located on the lowest floor. Adjacent to each piece is signage showing where each site is in the state (with the title of the piece you are looking at in red, similar to a “you are here” mark). The signs also show where each piece is in the building (by floor) as well as its actual elevation. Each artwork is located in its department’s elevator lobby, immediately giving that department a unique identity.

This artwork has been very successful on many levels. It was honored at the Americans for the Arts Conference. In addition, when employees of the EPA building were asked to select their favorite artwork in the building (selections included work by Merle Serlin, Beverly Pepper, Richard Hunt and Dale Chihuly), sixty-seven percent chose my fabric collages.

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©2002 Merle Axelrad Serlin

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