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SCULPTURE

The Art of Wind and Water

Roy Staab’s ephemeral structures float in and out of view

By

Artist Roy Staab created two ephemeral land art installations in the wetlands of Provincetown and Truro this summer. He completed the first one — the wide swirl of interconnected curves made of reeds seen in these photographs — on the edge of the salt marsh near the breakwater in Provincetown on July 22.

“This art is an experience in nature,” says Staab, 82, who had driven to the Outer Cape from his home near Milwaukee earlier in the week.

In a play on both the design of the sculpture and the material used in its construction, Staab titled the piece Intertwined.

Staab says his sculpture is “made of natural materials that are considered weeds by many. I use phragmites reeds that grew last year, so there are no seeds. They stand very straight, but they’re fragile.” At high tide, the sculpture floats on the surface, and the reflection of the sky becomes part of the piece.
Staab has been visiting the Outer Cape and making installations in its wetlands since 1992. He last created a piece in Provincetown in 2017. He has also installed work all over the United States as well as in Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Sweden. In addition to the sculpture in Provincetown, Staab completed a piece in the Pamet River estuary near Corn Hill in Truro during his recent visit. “They’re wonderful places to make my art,” he says.
Staab’s process begins with selecting a site and orientation for the installation. After gathering his materials, he “draws” the design on the ground during low tide before arranging the phragmites and uses jute twine to tie them together for reinforcement.
“The works are ephemeral, with a life dictated by the weather, wind, and rain,” says Staab. “The magic is also the water, which provides isolation and reflection.” Previous installations in this same location have lasted upwards of a month or more.
Staab began working on this installation on the morning of Thursday, July 20 at low tide. “The piece was finished on Saturday afternoon, all bound and level,” said Staab shortly after it was completed. “The National Seashore police came and said it was OK!” Barely a week later, a strong storm swept through the Outer Cape and carried his work out to sea.
Schoolhouse Gallery.

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