The (G) Sphere is the primary materialization of “Immigrants Are US: The (G)eneration Project,” an interdisciplinary public art conceived by the Harlem Arts Foundation and grounded in the notion that we are all immigrants. Whether refugees, asylum seekers, slaves, settlers, or indigenous, we are all fundamentally migrants of diverse generations; our similarities outweigh our differences, our collective wellbeing intrinsic to our common survival. In that regard, the pavilion’s spherical shape will easily become an imprint in anyone’s imaginary regardless of background, race, or culture. It will also attractively resonate with the different settings in which it will be erected; from urban locations to natural landscapes, from exterior to interior public spaces.

The pavilion structure will invite its publics and hosting venues to experience both its form and function, for while it engages the senses through its formal elegance and abstraction, it can also be activated as social architecture. Music, poetry, performance, live streaming—curators, artists, and community associations will be compelled to imagine and present programs and events inside the structure by responding to its presence.

A catalyst, therefore, for local actions and virtual exchanges, the (G) Sphere erases the boundaries between otherwise opposite features: very easy to assemble and take down and yet nicely crafted; temporary and yet appealing to the timelessness of a Platonic solid; enclosed and yet porous.

Ultimately, the (G) Sphere embodies the notion that our similarities (all blocks are hollow, translucent pieces) and differences (blocks are several sizes, and light conditions inside the structure will be constantly changing) can productively bond to yield unity.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Location: Multiple

Type: Traveling Pavilion

Scale: 20,44 m2 (220 SF)

Status: Ongoing

Team: José Aragüez, Ivy Hume, and Lihan Jin with Edward Hillel