TACTILE TUNNELS, STEEL TACTILE PORTALS, 2006

Instead of re-purposing off-the-shelf items as tactile elements, now I contracted with fabricators to make the elements for me. The new configuration was designed to illustrate the long-term durability of the system if it was set in a children’s outdoor playground.

The grid made of round sleeves was a conceptual experiment. I had always used elements that called for soft tactile play. The sleeves were designed to absorb full body-slams. But setting the contrasting forms of play adjacent to one another was too jarring a shift of focus for visitors. The Padded Cell needed to be its own piece.

Even the 40’ long portal wasn’t long enough to hold people’s attention for an extended time, in the way that the 80’ long portal had, in 1999.