User:Iander2/Nine Spaces Nine Trees

Nine Spaces Nine Trees (occasionally referred to as Nine Spaces, Nine Trees or 9 Spaces 9 Trees) is a 1982–1983 art installation by American artist Robert Irwin, located on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. Upon its initial creation, 9 Spaces 9 Trees has a history of occupancy in the Seattle area. It was recreated in 2007. Similar to other works of art through history comes meaning, and Irwin intended this to stand for both public and private places and how they coincide.

History
In 1983, Robert Irwin's art installation, 9 spaces 9 trees, was originally placed on the rooftop plaza of the City of Seattle's Public Safety Building but reconstruction on the building forced the art installation to be permanently removed. In 2003, it was then moved and re-done to the University of Washington campus right next to the Odegaard Undergraduate Library. Interestingly, the installation that you can find on UW's campus today is not an exact recreation but instead a recreation inspired by the original installation on the public safety building.

Materials and construction process
The University of Washington Facilities Services devoted most of the summer of 2006 to preparing the ground for the reconstruction of the art installation. Preparation of the ground for the installation included planting new grass and creating a new irrigation system. When the University of Washington had shown interest in having the installation be recreated on campus, Irwin helped select the site but he then substantially adjusted the design. The original installment utilized red flowering plum trees but Irwin replaced them with Winter King Hawthornes in the adapted version. In addition to changing the species of tree, he used new octagonal benches that surround some of the trees and the mesh fences were converted from the blue-colored material to a purple. The reconstructed installation consists of the following materials: concrete, vinyl-coated steel, weathering steel, aluminum, Ipe wood, and Winterking Hawthorne trees. The art stands at a size of 20 ft x 54 ft x 54 ft. The installation was surveyed and deemed "well maintained" by the Smithsonian Institution's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!" program in 1995.

Meaning
This art installation was created by Robert Irwin to create symbolic spaces that are both private and public. When light passes through the fenced walls of the installation, movement and patterns are created and thus can either become an area of calm and relaxation or can cause a slight feeling of claustrophobia. Depending on where you are sat and how you are facing the fenced in walls, the walls will either become see-through or semi-solid.

About the artist
Robert Irwin was born on September 12, 1928 in Long Beach, California. In the 1950s, he began his artistic career as a painter but in the 1960s he shifted his focus to installation work. Many of Irwin's installation incorporate light in some form; whether it be using fluorescent lights mounted onto a wall or utilizing natural light in his landscape installations.