Murmuration
Murmuration | 2,500 Cottonwood Sticks | 36 × 96 × 192 in (3 x 8 x 16 ft)
Murmuration, the Dryden lobby art installation by Theresa Clowes, captures the spirit of Colorado, transforming the indoor space into an immersive natural experience. Renowned architect Louis Kahn once said, “The nature of space reflects what it wants to be.” Clowes’ artwork echoes this sentiment, illustrating the equilibrium between humanity, nature, and architecture.
In this dynamic installation, Clowes interacts with the striking features of the lobby by suspending 2,500 Colorado Cottonwood branches, arranged to mimic the organic, shape-shifting formations of starling birds in flight. A “murmuration” is a group of 500 or more starlings flying together at sunset to evade predators and stay warm in colder months. Scientists believe no single leader dictates the movement of the group; rather, each starling focuses only on its six or seven neighbors to create a phenomenal cloud-like mass that twists, turns, and swoops across the evening sky.
This installation, also titled Murmuration, embodies the power of unity, where an individual's contribution is integral to the success of the whole. Located in a central gathering space for residents and guests, the artwork serves as a metaphor for ecological interconnectedness and the joyful possibility of collective action.
