Tree I

Tree I. 1981 stainless steel tubes and steel cables. , The history of the National Institutes of Health and the mission of the Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications inspired artist Kenneth Snelson to create this elegantly angular metal sculpture. The artwork's modular configurations of rods and wires distribute a scheme of compression and tension that holds the sculpture in dynamic equilibrium., Snelson has described his artistic practice as being "concerned with nature in its primary aspect, the patterns of physical forces in three-dimensional space." The sculpture's complex composition reflects his interests in atomic theory, the underlying structures of the universe, and the idea of connectedness. As indicated by the artwork's title, Tree I also suggests an abstract tree of knowledge, its many branches symbolizing the interrelatedness of science and the humanities., Commissioned through the Art in Architecture Program , Fine Arts Collection , U.S. General Services Administration