"[T]he theory suggests that all things decay, and in the process, become part of the landscape."
Entropy is a concept that has always fascinated me. At a basic level, the theory suggests that all things decay, and in the process become part of the landscape. Entropy is the force of chaos that dominates everything over time. The opposing force one might call a “life force,” which is self-organizing. Life may therefore be seen as a taming force that, through persistence, transforms randomness into something recognizable.
For example, the permanent installation at Factory Mark directly addresses these ideas about entropy as it relates to history—especially the chaotic history of a space. Reclaimed hickory flooring and cherry joist lumber, once themselves living materials, have been removed from their previous life in industrial buildings to serve industry in a new capacity. This precarious permanent installation is suspended entirely by the wires under tension; it is unstable in nature just as nature is unstable.
About the artist
Born, raised and residing in the Greater Boston area, Meghan Caveney received her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Tufts University in 2016. She also studied at the Sea Education Association on the Robert C. Seamans SSV, which sailed through the Phoenix Islands Protected Area during the 2015 El Nino event. A highly influential experience, the expedition has informed not only Caveney’s major in biology, but has also motivated her to scrutinize her use of physical material in an academic discipline characterized by excess. She has shown works integrating science, technology, engineering and art at multiple SMFA exhibitions, as well as Factory Mark and Yve Yang Galleries in the Boston area.
