Lynn Basa
Threshold
2011
Byzantine glass mosaic, onyx, marble, fiber optics
8’ x 20’ x 6”
Commission, School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
An intricately designed mosaic, Lynn Basa’s Threshold is abstract and organic in nature. Blue, green, and brown groups of tesserae appear to flow around large orbs of backlit onyx. While ambiguous, these glowing stones can conjure the planetary cycles that dictate natural systems on Earth. Through these amorphous forms, Basa intended to symbolize the interrelationships of humans, animals, and environment. From a distance, the groups of tiles resemble currents or tidelines. As the artwork’s title suggests, Threshold is on the brink of something – embodying both movement and change.
Lynn Basa lives and works in Chicago, Illinois. She has completed numerous public art installations across the country, is an advocate for artists, and is the author of The Artist’s Guide to Public Art: How to Find and Win Commissions. In addition to her larger sculptural artworks, Basa is a painter and concentrates in encaustics, a technique that mixes pigment with molten wax. Her large-scale mosaics, including Threshold, often relate to her studio encaustics through their blending and gradation of color.
Location
Threshold is located in the foyer of the main entrance to Nancy Nicholas Hall (1300 Linden Drive).
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