Light Creating Ambiguity

Pre-Colombian Art Museum courtyard colonnade and shadow drawing

In this sketch I am exploring light interacting with the objects of the courtyard at the Pre-Colombian Art Museum and the placement of the statue in relation to the columns. The light was coming down through the square opening of the courtyard. This gave the shadows a hard edge that cut the courtyard into illuminated and shaded. Additionally, the shadows give the entablature depth which then makes the wall have an extra dimension. Next, the statue of the woman’s torso had an interesting position next to the colonnade. From where I was sitting it seemed to suggest that the statue was a part of the colonnade. Essentially, the curators made a caryatid so that the statue would break the line of columns to mark entrance while not standing out too much.