Urban Landscape - Rural Landscape

"My idea was to show through abstract forms the vitality of urban industrial Michigan as well as the quiet peacefulness of its rural life," says Alfred Hinton of his metal mural wall. "It's a marriage of Michigan's natural beauty and industrial might."

Twelve interlocking panels made of aluminum, copper, steel and iron curve to form a convex/concave surface designed to fit the State Archives reading room. Hard materials contrasted against soft, subtle illusion create intensity, and automobile enamels add rich color while representing the industry's contribution to the state.

As the viewer moves through the room, the mural seems to change, creating a symbolic migration from the energy of an urban center to the slower pace of a rural setting. "I made it in sections to simulate the effect of driving down the highway," he says. "Different segments of the landscape appear as you drive by. The concept is to enhance the quiet attitude and activity of the reading room."