We who spin around you

Eduardo Navarro approaches each project like a case study, wherein he determines to become or create something new. Navarro repeatedly submerges himself within new non-artistic disciplines—be they scientific, legal, or spiritual—consequently rejecting the distance between himself and his object of study. For example, in his recent work Poema Volcanico, the artist hiked into the crater of the active volcano Guagua Pinchincha in Ecuador, where he exposed litmus paper to the sulfurous fumes of the volcano, effectively allowing the volcano’s energy to paint.

We who spin around you is a new work realized for the High Line at the Rail Yards. In the late afternoon as the sun begins to lower in the sky, Navarro invites participants to don custom-made bronze masks designed to help them safely view the sun, transforming it into a tiny dark green sphere. Then, an astrophysicist gives a brief lecture on solar history, and our changing relationship to science in the context of astronomy and solar studies. The work—situated at one of High Line visitors’ favorite spots for watching the sunset—invites viewers to think about their place in the surrounding terrestrial and celestial worlds.

Lectures are written and delivered by astrophysicists Jana Grcevich and Summer Ash.

Organized by Cecilia Alemani, Donald R. Mullen, Jr. Director & Chief Curator, and Melanie Kress, High Line Art Associate Curator.