In 2007, two smaller than life-sized tourist cabins inhabited the Park Avenue median from 52nd to 53rd Streets. These sculptures—complete with interior lighting and a satellite sculpture—came out of my continuing exploration of the “cabin” as an icon in both my personal lexicon and the larger world. My first tourist cabin sculptures were inspired not only by childhood experiences on family trips but also by the way a small building can stand in for a human presence. Each time I have exhibited my cabin-sculptures, the setting—City Hall Park or a river in Aberdeen, South Dakota—has added new meaning. When I thought of placing these tiny houses amid the glass and concrete and noise and bustle of Park Avenue, I was reminded of the constellations on the ceiling of Grand Central Terminal. I added a satellite dish, as if to somehow connect the cabins with distant space and the peaceful, star-filled summer night.

Photo credit: Peter Mauss/ESTO