Michael Zebrowski: Artist in Residence

Spruce Peak at Stowe is visionary in its concept of art integrated into the landscape of the mountain and the experience of the ski resort community. They are partnering with Helen Day Art Center, the leading contemporary non-profit Art Center in the area, to realize this project.

Michael Zebrowski is an artist currently living in Morrisville, VT and Assistant Professor at Johnson State College. He was chosen from a regional pool of applicants responding to a Request for Proposals.

Zebrowski’s project, SURVEY, is comprised of two distinct installations - Level and Sunrise Sunset. Both installations are painted bright safety yellow and reference transits, the surveyor tools for measuring horizontal angles, and construction, alluding to the monumental development projects at Spruce Peak. Each sculpture is created as an upside down “V,” with the supporting leg on each pointing to a different cardinal direction. The yellow sculptures, sited in striking contrast to the stark winter landscape, focus the viewer’s attention on specific points in the landscape, reflect the shape of the surrounding mountains, and echo the architecture. They are beacons, they are tools to measure, they are points on a map, they are surveyors. They offer an opportunity for viewers to stop, observe, reveal, and reflect.

Level is installed on the southeast portion of the snowshoe trail, Spruce Loop. This installation has two pyramid shaped sculptures across the woods from one another - one pointing north, the other south. Each structure holds lasers that will point to each other, at the exact same height, creating a perfectly level horizontal laser line through the woods - a contrast of precision and organic. This light will be visible at sunset and through the night.

Sunrise Sunset is located on the north central portion of the Spruce Loop trail. Each sculpture is at either end of the Enchanted Forest Playground. One is facing east, the other west. Cameras will take images approximately one every five minutes. This records the sunrise, sunset, weather patterns, and movement. The documentation will be made into a time lapse video displayed on monitors around the village at Spruce Peak.

Michael Zebrowski is interested in architecture as an instrument to record time, space and light. His work often crosses the boundaries of architecture, sculpture, and invention. He has a concurrent installation on the Recreation Path in Stowe, VT as part of Helen Day Art Center’s Exposed outdoor sculpture exhibition. Observatory is a viewing platform pointing to the North Star, and documenting the change in season, movement, and space through time lapse photography.