Holographic sculpture uses unlikely materials for new purposes

Robin Protz’s ArtPrize entry “Seasons,” on display at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, is a 3-D entry that depicts a tree in what Protz calls a “holographic sculpture.”

If Protz’s name sounds familiar, this is not her first ArtPrize entry, and her sculpture in 2013 “Myth-or-Logic” made it to the top 10. Her entry this year is a tree that depicts each of the four seasons depending on what angle the viewer sees it.

“The 'holographic' sculptures are built on a 1/4 inch, horizontally suspended grid.” says Protz on her website. “Lines are attached to the grid; information can be moved vertically on each line and through the addition of many lines, the repetition forms the representation of an idea. All aspects of the sculpture can be changed at any time and, for that reason, the sculpture is not complete until its final installation.”

“The canopy is made of poinsettias torn apart and gunned,” says Protz of “Seasons.” “So that they become pods of color instead of looking like they originally were. I like to take things and change their purpose. The tree trunk is bamboo… Don’t they look perfect? I take what I can and change it to be my thing.”

Protz uses materials that might not be considered for a project like this, such as poinsettias found at Christmas, and uses them to create a tree that is of personal significance to her.

“The tree has been with me for a couple years,” says Protz. “It just keeps coming back. I absolutely believe that it existed in an alternate universe, and I’m just the technician who brought it here.”

Protz’s work is more than just using materials to make something new, but using it as an outlet for a subject that she can't let go of. She expresses gratitude toward ArtPrize for making this piece possible.

“I am so thankful for ArtPrize that I have the opportunity to build a piece like this,” says Protz. “Because I can’t build this for nothing… To have this opportunity to show something like this is- I’m extremely thankful- it’s wonderful. I think people need to know that for the artist to have this possibility of showing their art to so many people, it’s a trip. It’s so rewarding to get to see people be happy by what you do.”

“Seasons” is on display in the lobby of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. To vote for this piece, visit the ArtPrize website or use code 61730.