Quantum Man (small version), 2007

Steel

50” x 22” x 9” (127 cm x 56 cm x 23 cm)

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 this 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, this 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 be solid when seen from the front, but dissolves into almost nothing when seen from the side.