The Caryatid

  • 15,000 new 2014 US Pennies

  • H 84″ x 11″ Diameter

  • October 2014

A column achieved by notching and joining 15,000 newly minted US shield pennies in a dodecahedral lattice. The Caryatid was created for the group show In __ We Trust: Art and Money at the Columbus Museum of Art.

An icon of ancient Greece, a caryatid is a sculpted maiden taking the place of an architectural pillar. She holds the temple roof aloft in an act both servile and godlike.

Special thanks to James Anderson, Lucas Budget, Michael Hernandez, and Chris Stewart for their moral support, mental contributions and physical assistance, which made this project possible.