FOR SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY here is another case of the shadow being more intriguing to us than the sculpture that cast it. (Go see more shadows by clicking on the first link.)
We walked through the Fort Myers River District for the first time last weekend. The Davis Art Museum was closed on both days we were there but on the sidewalk in front of it are two rust colored columns with what looked like zillions of random letters cut out of the sides. The columns are actually meant to be light sculptures. Next time we will have to return to see them after dark.
The letters really aren't random. One column is the text of a legend told by the Caloosa Indians about the migration of Native Americans into Georgia and Florida. (The art museum stands on what used to be a Caloosa settlement.)
The other column contains the Latin names of the 500 plants that Thomas Edison tested at his winter estate in Fort Myers. (He was trying to find a substitute for latex rubber.)
The sculptures were created by Jim Sanborn, a world famous artist who installed four encrypted cylinders at the CIA Headquarters near Washington DC. He presented them as a challenge to CIA employees and, to date, only three have been deciphered.
I, for one, am glad that the CIA can't crack every code!
A SEEKER OF SHADOWS
A seeker of shadows, they say,
Will keep her eyes peeled night and day
For resident shades
That haunt the dark glades
And never come outside to play.
© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher
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Posted by: Magical Mystical Teacher | April 30, 2011 at 09:07 AM
these script shadows are indeed enigmatic - great shots!
Posted by: Catherine | April 30, 2011 at 09:08 AM
Intriguing, it seems they are meant to be projected but a printer from days when type was set by hand would probably have no trouble interpreting it.
Posted by: Martha Z | April 30, 2011 at 10:22 AM
Great find! I knew about the sculpture at the CIA, but last I heard they had only cracked one. That last one's gotta be a doozy.
Posted by: Vicki | April 30, 2011 at 10:37 AM
Thomas Edison was a busy man, wasn't he? I always know that I'm going to learn something when I visit your blog and it's 100% that the photos will be great.
Feel free to send some warm weather up my way.....in case you have too much of it.
Happy weekend. donna
Posted by: donna | April 30, 2011 at 12:15 PM
As one of those old printers from the days Martha mentioned, I can see the type is backward and therefore the shadow should read forward. With the cylindrical shape, however, you'd have to wait for the light to be coming from different directions in order to read all the way around.
If, however, the sculptures are evenly lit from within, the reflection cast on the ground, all the way around, could be read by someone who can read Latin, or the language of the Caloosa Indians, or both.
Too complicated for this old printer. LOL
— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
Posted by: Kay Davies | April 30, 2011 at 01:31 PM
What interesting information about the artist. He was imaginative and it must be fun trying to read the words.
Posted by: diane | April 30, 2011 at 03:11 PM
Fascinating artworks and they make beautiful shadows.
Posted by: Sarah | April 30, 2011 at 03:57 PM
Oh a major puzzle! I'm sure it took a long time to make those---I like the shadows too!!
Posted by: sondra | April 30, 2011 at 04:46 PM
That looks cool...happy SSS!
Posted by: gengen | April 30, 2011 at 09:14 PM
Script shadows? How fascinating and utterly lovely!
Posted by: Lady Fi | April 30, 2011 at 09:40 PM
The shadows are darn cool!
The statue could be worse, I've sure seen worse :D
(That weird Jewish memorial they built in Berlin. Come one, Ugly! :))
Posted by: Nicole | April 30, 2011 at 09:50 PM
What a beautiful idea ! I never see that !
Posted by: Annie | May 01, 2011 at 07:04 AM
Interesting!
Nice shadow too. :)
Posted by: joan | May 01, 2011 at 07:48 AM
This is fantastic! What a wonderful idea.
Posted by: JM | May 01, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Fascinating shadows- one of a kind.
Posted by: vickie | May 01, 2011 at 06:19 PM
the shadows in that top shot are beautiful!!
Posted by: dianne | May 02, 2011 at 05:03 AM
what an amazing sculpture!
Posted by: TexWisGirl | May 02, 2011 at 07:23 AM
These are really unique shadows, what a fun find.
Posted by: MarieElizabeth | May 15, 2011 at 06:26 PM