Moths and Greek mythology inspired the new winter installation at Discovery Green on view starting today. Jen Lewin, an internationally recognized artist, found herself captivated by the mythological story of Atlas, who was condemned to hold up the heavens for all eternity. Lewin’s installation has the same name and features intricately decorated endangered moths. This fall, Lewin is also sharing her love of public art by mentoring two Houston-area artists through Discovery Green’s Art Lab .
What is one of the first pieces of art that you created?
“I’ve been making art my whole life, even as a little kid. Whether it was learning how to sculpt weird forms out of paper mache, or building crazy forts. I think the first art piece that I had this a-ha moment with was in the 1990s, I made a laser harp. It was this sculpture made out of wood that had these laser beams on it, and if you passed your hands through the beams, it made music. It was the first time I had this amazing moment, I could make a piece of art that was playful and interactive, and brought people in and got them moving and making music. That planted a seed for me.”
What inspired your winter installation at Discovery Green?
“When I walked along the Brown promenade at Discovery Green and saw the beauty of those trees, I proposed a piece called “Atlas.” It’s 24 of these really large, ethereal moths that are going to hang from the promenade. Each moth is actually pulled from a North American moth species that is endangered right now. As you move underneath them, they will play sounds. They have this beautiful, ethereal quality but also remind us of the fragility of these beautiful creatures part of our environment.”
Why is public art important to have in cities like Houston?
“I’ve seen the power of public art all over the world. And how you can bring a piece in and really transform public space and engage an entire community in dialogue, in connecting with the space in different ways, and even in connecting together."
This conversation with Jen Lewin was edited lightly for clarity.
