Paul Voss
born 1967, Fort Worth, TX
works in Somerville, MA.
Grotto, 1997, concrete, bronze, solar cells, wetland plants, 12 x 5 x 5', Lent by the Artist, Site specific installation.
Paul Voss began constructing solar fountains in the early 1990s, combining his interest in solar energy, ecology and art. Voss bases his designs on the structures of ancient Roman aqueducts, fountains and gardens. Contained within the elliptical form of Grotto is a multi-tiered structure which includes a solar panel, a thousand-gallon reservoir, wetland plants and a fountain. The sun strikes the solar panel which, in turn, activates hidden pumps that draw water from the reservoir up to the fountain. The fountain then releases a stream of water which flows into the basin and spills over into the garden of wetland plants. These plants, which are native to the region, draw nutrients from the water preventing the growth of algae. The water then returns to the reservoir and the cycle continues.
Grotto is set into a steep hillside. The sound of its flowing water is projected down the hillside, hundreds of feet into the Sculpture Park, via the acoustically designed curvature of its shape. This sculpture is an example of an important trend in contemporary outdoor sculpture—the creation of works which involve multiple interactions among art, technology, nature, and human participants.
