Architects
Solange Fabião
"Path to Hudson"
topographic | sense | unknown | visible | physical | awareness | ground | discovery | risk | joy | surprise | life | death | pass | tactile | steps | foundation | introspect | intention | ahead | reveal | fate | neglect | stars
An early idea of mine (from the 1980s) found its place here. The installation consists of a topographic path defined by two parallel walls that are up to 3 three feet apart from each other. This “hallway” expresses a symbolic, sensorial and imaginary route Henry Hudson takes into the unknown.
This passageway provides two forms of experience for the participant — an on–ground and an above–ground one.
The on–ground path defined by the enclosed parallel walls has extremely dimmed light conditions. While walking in this passage, the visitor encounters a removed voyage that provides a direct contact to the land itself, its “DNA”, a sample of New York’s Upstate region. The installation conditions intend to direct the visitor’s attention to their tactile extremities of feet and hands to (safe) pass. A combination of topography and architecture orchestrates this passage, letting the imagination adjust to the land (a land that has always existed and will continue to exist.) This kind of experience stands in opposition to the one of crossing a tunnel; here the trajectory itself turns to be the visitor’s object of discovery.
In a complementary way, an above ground route provides another kind of journey. It binds the viewer to a distant view, like referencing the stars. The Hudson Passage equates topography to life.
The structure is made of certified wood. FSC–certified wood ensures the wood is from a well–managed forest and the company manufacturing the wood practices environmentally responsible forestry
Bio
Solange Fabião was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she studied architecture and received her BFA in Set Design. She worked as set designer for the Brazilian Network Rede Globo and designed sets for theater in Rio de Janeiro and in Berlin, Germany. Fabião studied digital media and history of art at the HDK and Freie Universität Berlin, arriving in Berlin seven months before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. In 1994 Fabião left Berlin for New York.
Fabião has eceived several honorable mentions for her architectural projects, most recently winning the architecture competition for the Cité du Surf et de L’ocean in Biarritz, France in collaboration with Steven Holl Architects. In November 2005, as an industrial designer in Austria, Fabião launched an innovative door handle that combines pliable silicone technology and sculptural qualities. It is manufactured by Olivari in Italy.
In September 2008 Fabião inaugurated her project AMAZÖNIA (Projecting on Black) at Western Bridge, Seattle. It is a HD Video series shot in the Amazon region during the dry and wet seasons of 2006 and 2007. The single–direction videos present the dramatic changes that occur during sunrise and sunset.
Fabião art projects have also been exhibited in the Global Public Art Project TRANSITIO: TRANSITIO MIAMI in 2006; TRANSITIO NYC in 2005 (made possible by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council with support from the September 11th Fund; the project was selected to participate in the 2006 Architecture Venice Biennial to represent NYC at the Cities, Architecture and Society Exhibition); 2004 TRANSITIO BEIRUT; the 2003 exhibition TRANSITIO NYC TORNIO in the Aine Art Museum in Finland; 2002 at Art and Idea in Mexico City; and in 2001 Duration: 1 hour and 3minutes–Location: 1.3 miles at the Paul Rogers Gallery in NYC coinciding with the Guggenheim Museum exhibition, Brazil: Body and Soul and part of brasilconnects. In 1997 she participated in the 47th Venice Biennial presenting the Internet project Cyberclone 2000.
