Historic wooden escalators transformed into eye-popping sculpture

When Sydney finally decided to replace the 80-year-old wooden escalators at its landmark Wynyard rail station, they knew the beloved wooden treads couldn’t just be thrown out with the trash.

Installed in 1931, those steps had helped transport countless commuters and had acquired a special kind of local aura. So the city tapped artist Chris Fox to recycle the old-timey escalators into a custom sculpture for the station.

Suspended from the ceiling above commuters, Interloop runs more than 165 feet in length. It connects both two ends of the building in a twisting and swooping accordion made of 244 wooden treads and four combs from the original heritage escalator. The striking structure weighs more than five-and-a-half tons.

“The artwork explores the idea that people are stationary on an escalator whilst also travelling, allowing for a moment of pause that occurs mid-motion,” explains the artist on his website. “The sculpture resonates with people in this state, referencing all those journeys that have passed and are now interlooping back.”

Via: Treehugger