Lawrence University
Student Art in the Library

Artist: Jessica Kullander
Title: Telephone
Date: February 2002

Artist's Statement:
The placement of this sculpture in the library setting is meant to disrupt an environment where an object, such as a telephone, is not normally present and thus allow us to think of the object out of its usual context.

To many, the invention of the telephone has been a godsend, and to others, it seems like an annoyance. It has made communication almost instantaneous, but it has also fostered hatred, linked to telemarketer calls during the middle of dinner. The telephone also has a power to affect our self-esteem. Some people receive and made many calls in a day, denoting some importance they serve. On the other hand, if someone hardly ever gets a call, the mere presence of a telephone mocks them, reminding them of some lacking they hold.

In the library setting, think about the feelings invoked by this massive telephone as it distracts your attention. Are you angered by its silence? Are you waiting for it to ring? Did it remind you to call your parents this weekend?