Aluminum Piece

10 October 1982
New York City
Cast Aluminum
H: 8 ft. 2 in. x W: 4 ft. 2 in. x D: 7 in.

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The Aluminum Piece began with a “given” — a piece of Formica countertop scrap found on the street. After locating the center of gravity in this eccentric shape, Nickel cut a succession of one-inch arcs, working out from that center. He mounted each arc in a stepwise fashion, rotated two inches counterclockwise. The resultant form was then sand cast at a foundry in New Jersey, specializing in aircraft engine parts. The finished work evokes continental drift, as if North and South America were chasing each other.