Catharine Magel | 2014

UMSL-South MetroLink Station
Fiberglass, paint, aluminum, ceramics, mosaic, and stainless steel
15′ h. x 23′ w. x 6′ d.

In honor of the lives of four people killed during a tragic bus accident, Shirley Abernathy, Christina Green, Simone German, and Ernest Morgan, this piece reflects on the spiritual and eternal aspects of human nature, our connection to the universe, and our solitary journeys through life. This piece incorporates many natural and man-made symbols, unlocking a host of feelings and associations. The flight or birds represents a bridge between two worlds, linked to life on earth yet connected to the eternal. The identity of the tree morphs into these various objects, speaking to the unreliability of human perception, revealing the true intentions of the mind, and creating a new reality in which the butterfly becomes a symbol of the freedom of the soul upon death.

Commissioned by Arts in Transit for Metro St. Louis with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, awarded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).