The found object sculpture called What Comes Around and its’ counterpart What Goes Around located at the Albany International Airport by Edward Mayer that was installed sometime in 2010 and still remains there today and is also both a free standing group sculpture with a subject of Traveling, what we take with us, what we journey to see, and what we return and bring with us. This is one of the many commissioned fixed piece of the art in the airport during the past few years but I feel this is the one piece that truly illustrates what an airport is and about what the most important component, the people, are doing as they go back and forth each and everyday at all hours.

The normal objects we associate with traveling were wrapped in simple plastic surveyors tape to make them each uniform so that they really did become a whole set and it really brings the eye to them because you simply have to take time to look at it several times before you completely realize what you’re observing. For example, the archway and umbrella I was only able to notice when I was standing at the far end of the terminal or about to ascend the escolator but although I could see the stroller to the far left as I was going up I honestly got a better view from the second floor.

Because this sculpture holds 3 dimensional line and perspective as the viewer you have to observe it from the back, front, and side; and then go around again because each side is suspended into space and each view is going to show a different facet of the entire piece. A monochromatic palette is a splendid way to draw more attention that if they were to use a limited palette and disorganization of the pieces gives it a shabby chic feel. He also used a variety of shapes within each piece but instead of creating shapes he utilized the natural shapes of the everyday objects.

He has skillfully blended all of the objects together so they also interlock into each-other, the lawn chair sits up on top of the tiki torch while the garden gate thing interlocks itself into a 3 shelf bookcase and that hooks into the coat rack and the luggage also makes up the base of the sculpture. In fact, you have to observe the shapes within the pieces to discern the objects of which he’s creating with. From a distance it truly does look like a pile of junk until you get closer and really look for something admire. I truly think that found objects make my favorite types of sculptures because there is always a story and deeper meaning behind them.