Alex Chinn wanted to push scale in a way that would influence human interaction with his forms, to evaluate materials for exterior durability, and to develop a body of work inspired by the landscape and architecture of his birthplace — rural Massachusetts — with its tobacco barns. Chinn notes, “Our sense of place is tied up in the proportions of the height, width, and shape of the structures. The placement and size of openings (windows and doors), or the lack thereof, can change the form on an emotional level for us. The same basic shape can be a fortress, a prison, a princess tower, or a burned out shell. Our life experiences influence how we see and respond to the shapes we see.” He has been studying photos of tobacco barns from his last visit back east. What is underscoring these explorations of form? The golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence. He has investigated scale from one to 89 inches, arriving at a mean he finds most desirable for exhibition.
Alex Chinn
