From a distance, the four bronze sections appear as simple monoliths. An initial reading of "Stacks" would likely suggest that the forms are a tribute to the stature of the library's reputation. After paying some attention to the work, the details of its meaning are revealed in the texture itself. On the inner flanks of these monoliths are bits of various languages-including Greek and Armenian-inscribed into the metal like contemporary hieroglyphics. These are not readable, but are merely symbolic references to the system of language and communication that relate to the library. The withered color of the bronze -the greens, browns, and yellows- also imply the aged, withered, stoic nature that can be seen in the oldest forms of inscription such as the Rosetta Stone. Communication between multiple cultures, as the sculpture suggests, is as old as writing itself, and is a tradition upheld by the library it is installed in front of.
For more information on the piece: http://www.collegian.psu.edu:8080/archive/2000/09/09-08-00tdc/09-08-00darts-5.asp
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