T.W. Pilar | Pilar Studios | 2024
Portals was realized in collaboration with curator Shannon Morris(Spruill Gallery) and curator Kate Chesnut (Labyrinth Curation), the project examined relationships between place, memory, ecological systems, and the built environment through a combination of sculpture, installation, photography, and archival research. Each activation responded directly to the history, geography, and cultural context of its host site, utilizing steel,neon, preserved botanical material, industrial plastic, and photographic imagery to create distinct
spatial interventions.
Rather than existing as a single exhibition, Portals operated as a distributed project realized across multiple institutions and public venues. Each installation incorporated recurring sculptural elements while adapting its physical configuration, materials, and supporting works to the specific location under investigation. Through site research and environmental observation, the project considered how contemporary landscapes function as accumulations of ecological, industrial, and cultural histories.
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Airport Art Program
Presented through the Airport Art Program at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, this activation combined sculptural installation, photographic works, and environmental intervention within a large public display environment. The installation centered on Portal 01, a steel monolith incorporating an inset cobalt-blue neon ring and a photographic image of the Atlanta Botanical Garden property. The sculpture was presented within a glass display enclosure alongside a preserved botanical installation created by Full Bloom by Lauren utilizing petrified plant material, concrete masonry units, and natural elements.
The installation extended beyond the display case through a series of large-format vinyl photographic works positioned throughout the surrounding atrium. These images documented locations associated with the project’s site research and expanded the visual presence of the installation into the larger architectural environment of the airport.
Works Included
• Portal 01
• Large-format vinyl photographic installations
• Preserved botanical installation by Full Bloom by Lauren
Atlanta Art Fair
Cultural Partnership Booth CP6 — Millennium Gate Museum
Presented as part of the inaugural Atlanta Art Fair in Cultural Partnership Booth CP6 representing Millennium Gate Museum, this activation combined sculpture, installation, and environmental intervention within a dedicated exhibition environment. The presentation centered on Portal 00, a freestanding steel monolith incorporating an inset cobalt-blue neon ring. Positioned on opposing walls, two Tension Surfaces works constructed from heat-altered plastic and steel extended the installation through a material language first developed in Hyperobjects (2023).
The installation environment expanded beyond the individual artworks through a floor-based arrangement of petrified moss and industrial plastic distributed throughout the booth footprint. A living tree positioned immediately adjacent to the installation established a direct relationship between preserved botanical material, manufactured matter, and living vegetation. Together, the presentation combined steel, neon, plastic, preserved organic material, and living plant life into a unified spatial installation developed specifically for the fair.
Following the exhibition, Pilar Studios donated a petrified moss and plastic artwork to Millennium Gate Museum in support of the institution’s annual fundraising auction.
Works Included
• Portal 00
• Tension Surface 01
• Tension Surface 02
• Petrified moss and plastic floor installation
• Living tree intervention
Credits
Artist
T.W. Pilar (Pilar Studios)
Curatorial Support
Shannon Morris, Spruill Gallery
Kate Chesnut, Labyrinth Curation
Botanical Installation (Airport Activation)
Full Bloom by Lauren
Participating Institutions
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Airport Art Program
Millennium Gate Museum
Atlanta Art Fair
Selected Publications
Portals has been referenced in coverage and reporting by:
WABE – City Lights
Interview and project feature discussing the development of Portals and its relationship to Atlanta’s built and ecological environments.