1:11 Sapphire Portal  (2007)

The Sapphire Portal was inspired by concepts in “The Emerald Modem: A Users Guide to the Earth’s Interactive Energy Body”(2004 ). Author Richard Leviton describes etheric “blue dishes” under all sacred sites that collect subtle cosmic energies and distribute them into the earth and atmosphere. I designed a sky blue dish 61 feet in diameter and 9 1/2 feet high with sky blue carpet to physically manifest this idea while providing an environment of floating in the sky. In the middle are three geometric forms that embody Leviton’s concept of the Earth’s energy body evolving from its current geometric form to an icosidodecahedron, a shape that has both 20 triangles and 12 pentagons. At the very center a plywood half dodecahedron painted deep red houses the Quasar Wave Transducer sound sculpture that produces low frequency vibrations in the range of brain waves and earth resonance.

Surrounding it is a half icosidodecahedron steel frame covered in stainless steel mirror triangles. These two shapes are covered by a half icosahedron steel frame covered in aluminet shade cloth so that one may experience these shapes both day and night. A 30 foot section of the outer wall facing east was able to be opened to allow seeing the sunrise. The Sapphire Portal acted as a personal, planetary and galactic vibrational alignment environment, providing profound experiences for many participants.

It debuted at Burning Man 2007 and returned in 2008, located a mile away and at 1:11 on the city plan. The center section was featured in my home town of Taos N.M for 2 months after Burning Man 2007 as a recipient of a State of NM public art grant. It has gone on to tour extensively to many other festivals.