Art History and Visual Culture Program Presents

Mark R. Eischeid,
Asst. Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Oregon

The perception or suggestion of the infinite has been cited as one of the mechanisms by which we judge an object or an environment to be sublime.  In A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, Edmund Burke described the “artificial infinite” as one of the identifying characteristics of the sublime.  Burke suggests that the artificial infinite can be expressed as a sequence or repetition of uniform elements or as spaces with obscured or indeterminate boundaries or limits.  Dan Kiley, a pioneering and distinguished practitioner of 20th century modernist landscape architecture, consistently spoke of his desire to express a sense of infinity in his designed landscapes.

Kiley’s design philosophy parallels Burke’s definitions, as evidenced through selected design projects, writings, and interviews.  Kiley’s use of the grid to repeat landscape elements (trees, hedges, lights, benches) through various landscape types (allées, avenues, bosques, orchards), coincident with the creation of continuous spaces and indeterminate boundaries, exemplify how he intended to create a sense of infinity in his designed landscapes.  This talk will illustrate Kiley’s expression of the artificial infinite through his work at the Miller Garden (1955, Columbus, Indiana), North Christian Church (1964, Columbus, Indiana), and the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park (1988, Kansas City, Missouri) based on recent fieldwork.

---

For more information, call 845-758-4388, or e-mail [email protected].

Time: 11:50 am EDT/GMT-4

Location: Bertelsmann Campus Center, Weis Cinema

Subscribe: Save this Event: Subscribe / .ics File