The Glassy Surface of a Lake

While doing a little reading on the Internet, I came across Xu Bings installation, 'The Glassy Surface of a Lake'.

The word 'Surface' reminded me of the ripples that Ilgen was so elegantly talking about in his extract about the number '8'.

Unfortunately I do not have much knowledge of this piece as I have only seen it from this photo. However, from the description noted below, I can guess that the words stream and ripple in the same way water would gently move in circles around the surface of a lake. I can imagine that the cast aluminium surface bounces light which would in turn richen the effect of movement.

From the image it seems that the installation turns in and out in the middle, much like an egg timer and this too reminds me of the shape of the number '8'.

The Glassy Surface of a Lake (as found on http://www.chazen.wisc.edu/exhibitions/recent.asp)
Description and image from Chazen Museum of Art
March 27, 2004 to June 19, 2005 Installation by Xu Bing, Paige Court

"The installation The Glassy Surface of a Lake, is a new work that has been specifically conceived and designed for Paige Court. Net consists of a 600-word text from Walden by Henry David Thoreau. The text, which will be legible from the floor below, is written in large aluminum letters, in a font designed by the artist, and extends across the expanse of Paige Court. Rendered in a lighter weight, an image of a bird is discernible in the body of the text. In the center, a portion of the text breaks free and cascades to the floor below into a pile of illegible random letters. The 4,000 letters that comprise Net were produced in Thailand of cast aluminum and shipped to Madison. The artist then assembled them to install this net of words in Paige Court."