Bruce Rosenbaum commissioned for personal art project – Putting ModVic’s Steampunk aesthetic to a three-dimensional family “album”, honoring the past, present and future and celebrating perseverance.
In Judaism, the Tree of Life is a meaningful theme of a family’s origin and “roots”, as well as the branches that spring forth and reach out into the world.
Murphy’s Law is also sometimes a “theme” – Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong…
For this ‘challenge’ – Bruce was asked to create a sculpture representing the passage of time – honoring the history of a family that had lived in the same home for 47 years. A family who had to face life’s trials and tribulations.
More than once.
The idea that emerged was a whimsical Steampunk ‘Memory’ sculpture that starts with a clock at the center and the concept of time “flying” by and is presented within the Tree of Life.
Through photos, family keepsakes, and artifacts from their home (which they had built together and renovated over the years) Bruce aimed to show a lifetime of family joy, memories, and a path forward to new experiences and events.
In terms of materials, the background infrastructure is constructed from 4 lettertype trays used with a historic Letterpress printer. Family photos, artifacts from the house (including actual basement dirt), keepsakes, mementos, brass electrical outlet covers, springs, small tools, copper wire and conduit, and other home themed hardware and parts.
The central clock face incorporates a model airplane propeller, which is powered by a small motor and actually spins and brings kinetic motion to the artwork.
“If you could only be a fly on the wall for people’s reactions to your sculpture, you would be filled with pride. My grandchild just kept saying ‘Wow’ as she found personal things. My neighbor was totally blown away. What you did was genius. You are really a visual historian and I think that is a special niche. You have a real genius and I would like the world to recognize it!!!”
– Lori from Sharon, MA
From start to finish, the project took about 3 months to design, fabricate, and install.
Even though the lettertype trays allowed for an orderly and “compartmentalized” structure, Bruce said he wanted the family mementos to “float” and reach out towards the viewer – because Life isn’t always neat and structured like we may want it to be.
In many cases, old electrical outlets and tiles from the house are repurposed as picture frames. Tools that were used in home construction projects appear on the left-hand side.
On the right-hand side is the couple’s “bride and groom” wedding cake topper. Surrounding them is the traditional Jewish Chuppah, which is made from an upside-down horseshoe that was uncovered when the family began to dig a basement for the home.
The horseshoe in this orientation is also a reminder of “Murphy’s Law”, in contrast to the typical direction a horseshoe is hung to denote “good” luck.
All of the Little Details Add Up
Part of what makes the sculpture so special to the family is the small but important moments in life that are represented. From wine that was uncorked for important toasts to a flying anchovy can to honor a beloved cat – the sculpture is the embodiment of the family’s time together.
Copper wiring is used to create the trunk, branches, and roots of the family tree. Among the branches, color photos of current family members and more recent events are connected and displayed.
Lower down in the sculpture, parents and grandparent family members appear in black and white and sepia tone photos.
The roots of the tree reach down into actual dirt that was saved from the ground dug beneath the house and held in place with resin to preserve its original color and texture.