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Passage No. 3 by Steve Gillman
Photo CreditCarol M. Highsmith Photography
Passage No. 3
Photo CreditCarol M. Highsmith Photography

Passage No. 3

Artist
Year1999
Classification sculpture
Medium marble and neon
Dimensions17 x 36 x 108 in. (43.2 x 91.4 x 274.3 cm)
Credits Commissioned through the Art in Architecture Program
Fine Arts Collection
U.S. General Services Administration
Location
  • Steve Gillman likes to characterize his work as "place making."  His installations respond to the specifics of a site - sometimes by acknowledging its formal qualities, sometimes by referencing its history - in order to add another layer of spatial or intellectual experience to a place.  For the Sacramento Courthouse, Gillman created a monumental marble bench, from which emanates the cool glow of neon light.  Both the materials (marble and light) and the form (a bench) of Passage No. 3 draw upon traditional physical and symbolic accoutrements of the judiciary.  However, the artist has reformulated these elements into a contemporary and functional work of art, which invites visitors to sit and contemplate the institution of the courts, and its impact on American life.