Tom Finkelpearl Crossroads

Crossroads by Tom Finkelpearl (b. 1956, Cambridge, MA) combines the construction of an architectural sculpture, the renovation of two derelict subway entrances, and the placement of two repainted wrecked cars on the site.

The architectural structure consists of a corporate office building, flanked by two thrones, that rises between two upended vernacular houses. The structure is made of plywood and 2x4s, and measures 11’ x 9’ x 11’. Within the structure, visible through 1/4” Plexiglas, there are dimensional narrative scenes assembled from found objects and plaster casts, along with painted elements. Within each upended “vernacular house,” visible through an aperture in the shape of a television screen, there is a domestic scene: one scene depicting a home in harmony, the other depicting the alienation of television culture (i.e. a family of self-absorbed, noncommunicative consumers). Within the corporate tower, visible through a row of wide rectangular windows, the viewer can see a female figure surrounded by ringing telephones.