Harmony Ridge

Harmony Ridge presents viewers with a configuration of natural elements—boulders and trees—found along the Appalachian Trail near Sussex County, New Jersey. Robert Lobe chose these objects, composed them, and then used a pneumatic hammer to pound large sheets of aluminum across their surfaces until the metal conformed to the shape and texture of stone and wood. Lobe then welded the metal pieces together and reinforced them with a steel frame anchored to a concrete foundation. 

Lobe’s sculpture highlights a part of the natural world for our attention and consideration. A viewer might shift between seeing the artwork as mere imitation of nature to seeing something more fantastic—a mundane plot of forest transformed to appear brilliant, metallic, and handmade. Lobe has explored these themes and materials throughout his career. He juxtaposes the organic with the inorganic, the natural with the artificial, and the transitory with the timeless. The result allows viewers to see the work as both imposter and integrated element within the surrounding landscape.