Matter Wave Project IV: Quantum Man 2, 2007

According to quantum physics, the world is fundamentally quite different than it seems. For example, matter can be demonstrated to have a wave-like quality associated with its motion. Quantum physics describes a moving object as consisting of waves oriented perpendicular to its direction of motion. Drawing inspiration from that aspect of nature, I created an image of a walking human as a quantum object. Made up of thin, vertically oriented steel sheets representing those waves, the over 8’ (2.50 m) tall sculpture is a metaphor for the counter-intuitive world of quantum physics. Symbolizing the dual nature of matter with the appearance of classical reality on the surface and cloudy quantum behavior underneath, the sculpture seems to consist of solid steel when seen from the front, but dissolves into almost nothing when seen from the side. The first version, now in the City of Moses Lake’s (WA) permanent collection, was featured in "Science Magazine" (Vol. 313, August 18, 2006, p. 913), one of the world’s leading science journals.