An installation for On the Land, Conant Land, Carlisle, MA, sponsored by the Carlisle Cultural Council, August - December, 1997

1997, leaves, twigs, polyalithatic emulsion, 60 in. x 32 in. by 16 in.

Wedge was placed in a narrow crevice on the top of Castle Rock, a significant outcropping on wooded land near the center of a small New England town. Forest litter was gathered in Carlisle, then shaped into a wedge in the studio by gluing compressed layers of the leaves and twigs onto the sides of a plywood form. The sculpture was brought to Castle Rock and stood in the crevice.

Wedge dramatized the rock formations at Castle Rock, drew attention to the abundant material on the forest floor and its role in natural processes, and created a turning point for the exhibition that served as a memorable marker for visitors. The appearance of the piece was natural -- a bale of forest material. At first it blended into its surroundings, but once discovered, its large size caused it to stand out.

Wedge addressed how soft organic natural material will, over time, break down hard stone. Leaves, needles and twigs decompose into soil that fills cracks in the rock. The soil traps moisture which would otherwise drain away. In winter, with freezing, the water expands and cracks the rock, leading to geologic formations seen at Castle Rock. The sculpture suggests, "softness is the wedge that creates change".