“Urban Scrim” is a contemplative and sculptural installation inspired by the simple forms and grand scale of West Texas land art. Although weaving through the urban fabric of downtown Austin, Waller Creek is often hidden from view. This piece acts as a serene line of light serving to attract viewers from the busy bustle of downtown with subtle video projections. The projections were shadows taken from a local, highly active pedestrian bridge and the water reflections from Waller Creek, suggesting how the future Waller Creek redevelopment plan will become an activated and revitalized landscape with enhanced pedestrian activity. The pairing of movement from the urban streetscape with the texture of water flowing through the creek encourages human interaction between the two. Intersecting the pedestrian bridge between 10th and 11th street, the position of the overlapping scrim fabric allows people to experience the piece from the water’s edge and also physically walk through it to experience the movement, glow, and scale up close.

Scrim is a fabric often used in the film and television industries, as well as by photographers, to modify properties of light. This installation is comprised of a series of scrim cloth held taut with welded steel. The steel will be recycled or repurposed at the end of the exhibition and the projectors will be donated to local schools to minimize waste. This installation is meant to create a synergy of water serenity and urban activity through simple materials, subtle lighting and grand scale.

photography: Leonid Furmansky