Cenozoic Codex

Cenozoic Codex illuminates the U.S. Census Bureau Bowie Computer Center from dusk until dawn with vibrant neon light.  Three floating planes of color—blue at the intersections along the glass corridor, yellow spanning the canopy, and red at the main entrance—define the spaces where people move. Viewed at a distance, the work’s refracted light gives the building the appearance of a giant computer or ground space station.  The title Cenozoic Codex refers to the current geological era, the Cenozoic, known as the Age of Mammals. It began sixty-five million years ago and includes the development of the human race.  A codex is the earliest assembly of a manuscript into book form. The title is meant to imply the systematic recording of human evolution and relates well to the function of the Census Bureau, which has tracked the demographic and economic characteristics of the nation since 1790.

Keith Sonnier is internationally recognized for his large-scale architectural neon installations.  With several contemporaries in the 1960s, he challenged traditional sculpture, introducing new forms and industrial materials.  By 1968, he had discovered neon, which became the identifying element of his artwork.