A Lover's Bench

The project was to design a 3x6x9 bench for Cleopatra’s Needle in Central Park. Cleopatra’s Needle is one of two obelisks dating back to 1500 BC. It is located behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC. An obelisk is defined as being: an upright, four sided pillar, gradually tapering as it rises - and terminating in a pyramid, at the top. It is ordinarily monolithic.

Originally, they were erected at the entrances of ancient Egyptian temples. They were carved from a single piece of stone. All four sides of an Egyptian obelisk’s shaft are embellished with hieroglyphs commemorating the lives of rulers. They have been used to designate slaughter areas. They are said to connect heaven and earth.

Elevation of the project.
Click here to view site plan.

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Cleopatra was a queen of Egypt. After a lost battle, her lover Anthony killed himself: believing that she was dead, he fell on his sword. Eventually, with roman forces advancing, rather than be dragged through the city streets, in which she had been born as a queen Cleopatra killed herself for her people, as well. They were buried together, as both had wished.

Bizarre links existed between the: obelisks, 3x6x9, MET, and Cleopatra

LEFT: Obelisk during Spring. RIGHT: Cleopatra hieroglyph.
Click here to view reflection of the obelisk on MET glass.

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Depicted above is the original location of the twin obelisks in Alexandria, the location of one in London, the other in NYC, and the angles in-between them. The left image depicts 3x6x9: amazingly, the same angles exist in both.

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If we manifest these angles into a 3x6x9 space, emanating from the heart of it - the result is as such. It is as if a pyramid has been pulled apart so that one half can look upon the other. A viewer laying on one side has a glorified view of the obelisk, while the other gazes in the direction of Egypt or London.

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How is it that all three angles exist within a 3x6x9 space?!? Once more, upon measuring the facade of the MET, another discovery was made. The impression of three angles were ever-present.

The Space in-between the two angles, along the wall, represents the earth between the two; while IRONICALLY, the slit of yellow glass at the 12° angle represents the sister obelisk in London.

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Located directly behind the glass and the revolving door, inside the MET, next to the obelisk, is a sculpture by Rodin [left photo]. The Burghers of Calais were heroes of the Hundred Years’ War and are symbols of French patriotism. King Edward III of England laid siege to the French town of Calais. After eleven months, with the people desperately short of food and water, six of the leading citizens, or burghers, of Calais offered themselves as hostages to Edward in exchange for the freedom of their city. The king agreed, ordering them to dress in plain garments, wear nooses around their necks, and journey to his camp bearing the keys to the city. Although the king intended to kill the burghers, his pregnant wife, Philippa, persuaded him to spare them, believing that their deaths would be a bad omen for her unborn child. Rodin chose to portray the moment in the narrative when the men, believing they are going to die, leave the city. He shows the burghers as vulnerable and conflicted, yet heroic in the face of their likely fate; not unlike Anthony and Cleopatra.

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