The “Triplets” sculpture sits outside what is otherwise a plain building in downtown Chicago, Illinois. The perspective and site lines present the illusion of a “perfect” ring, but that’s just one sense of the sublime that sculptor Terrence Karpowicz sought to cultivate for audiences.
The literal connections between each shape in the piece give it a sense of motion that compels people to look at it from multiple angles. Doing so provides them with a different perspective around how all of these pieces are all connected to one another, inviting another critical interpretation that Karpowicz actively cultivated.
The concept of the piece is about building on your linkage and connecting with your past. Viewers can get a sense of how all these pieces are separate yet simultaneously connected, highlighting the many different personal interpretations the piece has fostered.
These concepts are driven by the theories and practices of Minimalism and Conceptualism that have influenced all of Karpowicz’s pieces. His aesthetic is rooted in craftsmanship while being informed by the sublime nature of minimal forms and the layering of history and ideas. “Triplets” showcases his endeavor to utilize geometric shapes in a way that instills a kinetic relationship among these elements. Audiences can interpret these relationships on multiple levels.
“Triplets” has been able to provide a sense of connection and transformation for this otherwise plain building that has subsequently been able to capture the attention of audiences from all over. Located nearby other notable monuments, the piece has given the surrounding neighborhood an important means of identity and connection.
Karpowicz has talked about how the ways in which disparate materials interact with each other have defined his life and his relationship with the world. The disparate way that the shapes and colors in “Triplets” connect with one another have come to not only define the piece but also the sense of wonder that has been instilled in audiences as well as the surrounding community.
