Jud Fine
Spine
1993
Project Area: CBD/Financial Core
Project: Central Library, Maguire Gardens
Project Location: 630 W. Fifth Street
Project Type: Developer
Description:
Leading to the library on the Flower Street entrance is a series of stairs flanking three raised pools titled "Bright," "Lucid," and "Clear." Lettering from nineteen languages, printed words in nine languages, and symbolic communications in higher math, art, and poetry are all etched into risers on the steps.
Commenting on the title of his work, Fine said, "Spine is a title which brings several confluent ideas to mind. The spine is the fundamental unit of a body that gives it the strength and support to stand on its own. The spine begins where the brain leaves off. The electricity of the body flows through it. Fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are all classified together due to the commonality of the spine. Structurally, the spine also refers to the anatomy of the book. A book is identified by the name running down its spine. The spine separates the front from the back, and at the same time it hinges them together. It is the central nervous system of the book."