Zometool—The 31-Zone Structural System by Biocrystal Inc (review)

large-scaleworks and fourdimensional sculptures-assemblies of rods, rings, etc., which are painted in such a way that differentthreedimensional shapes appearwithin the structuresas the viewer moves around them. Although Alexander’searlier work was non-representational ,the feelingof depth has alwaysbeen apparent even in his totally abstractpaintings;it is thus no surprise that he should have turned from his illusoryfourth interpenetrating dimension to the eerie aerial imagesof holography, with its ability to produce flickeringcolors ,strange perspectivesand animation. Lucie-Smith’sfour central chapters dealwith Alexander’sesthetic develop mentwithin the medium of holography. Beginningwith near-literalinterpretationsof his fourdimensional sculptures, he began to use other, more emotive modeling materials such as barbed wire (implyingwar, imprisonment).At this time he was workingin Sydney, Australia,with the optics research scientist Hariharan (anotherperson distinguishedby the possession of only a singlename!). He also learned the technique of makingholographic stereograms ,a type of hologram that in its basic form begins as an array of photographs taken in sequence by a camera moving along a rail past the subject. When transferredto the holographic medium the result is an imagewith full horizontal parallax.But unlike a conventionalhologram , a stereogram can also incorporate all the cinematographer’s trickssuch as time-lapse,multi-images, various kinds of distortion,even animation and computer-generatedimageryall techniquesAlexanderwas able to exploit under the expert guidance of Hariharan. Later, a spell at the Musee de 1’Holographiein Paris gave him the opportunityto make holographic port r a i t swith a pulse laser; these he treated in a symbolicand often surrealisticmanner . While at the Musee he was also able to make holographic movies, in which the parallaxelement in a stereogramwas replaced by action. His later holograms became pictoriallymore explicit,representingsuch concepts as a car crash,an earthquake and a battlefield.He also produced a number of large holograms on philosophicaland religious themes, one of the finestbeing ChristLeavingthe Cross (Fig.1),with its clear relationship to Dali’s Christ ofSt.John ofthe Cross.In these giantholograms,parts of the image sometimesappear as much as 20 feet in front of the hologram. In 1989Alexanderreturned to paintF i g .1. Alexander, Chist Leavinghe Cross, hologram. (Photo:Edward Webb. Courtesy The Independent) ing, but with a much broadened artistic outlook. LucieSmith chartshis progress in the finalfive chaptersof the book:first, the paintingsinfluencedby holography, with a strongemphasison three-dimensionalityand the use of mixed media (sometimesactuallyincludingholograms ).In the next three chaptershe dis cusses three importantseries: J 3 q d the Edg, a setof largelythree-dimensional collages, someof them animated,which “combineplayfulnesswith the impulse to questionthe nature and purposes of art”; the Envimment series, stronglyinfluencedby Australian Aboriginal culture; and Dance oftheSouls,which echoes the religiousaspirationsof the later holograms and alsoincludesholographic material.The finalchapteris “Holopaintings ,”in which the author describes Alexander’smost recent work Alexander has been integratingholographywith painting,by paintingon and under the glass hologram itself. The book isverywell produced.The layout is elegant;the photographic reproduction isfirst-class (themajority of the photographswere taken by Alexander himself);and the text is informative and lucid.The front cover and frontispieceare full-size holographicportraits . In my review copy they were deep red and not verybright; I hope the published copieswill be brighter. The price of $79.00 (&45in the U.K.) seems reasonable for so sumptuousa book. For those with unlimited funds there is a special edition of 100with three further separate hologramssignedby the artist.I have seen these, and there are no misgivings about their technical quality. The price for this specialedition is$960.00 (&550). IMODELING KIT 1 ZOMETOOL--THE 31-ZONE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM manufactured by Biocrystal Inc., Boulder, Colorado,U.S.A. Reviewed by Balhzs Hargittai, Eotvos University,Budapest, and Istvan Hargittai, Budapest Technical Univerdy, Hungary. The human mind has first to construct forms, independently, before we can find them in things. -Albert Einstein H.W. Kroto of the University of Sussex was visiting Richard Smalley’slaboratory at the University of Houston to perform Reviews 327 Fig. 2. Zometool components. P a r t sare shapecodedso they always fit together,no matterwhat direction construction takes. There is a mathematicalrelationship between the shapeof the strut,its length and its vector in space. Fig. 4. Zometool4-D Star. This is a threedimensionalshadow , or projection, of the stellated hyperdodecahedron...