Arts & Culture | October 4, 2011

Meredith James '04 creates videos and sculptures that challenge perceptions

Artist Meredith James '04 shares three videos and additional photos of her work.

Meredith James created her 14 x 8 x 12-foot sculpture <i>Impossible House</i> with salvaged wood and windows. — Meredith James created her 14 x 8 x 12-foot sculpture Impossible House with salvaged wood and windows. | Photograph courtesy of Meredith James

A still photograph from the video <i>The Invention of Morel pages 89-91,</i> a composite of two videos that match shot for shot, one video of the room intact and another of the room as it is smashed. In the installation, the two videos would be projected simultaneously (with two different projectors) onto the same projection screen. — A still photograph from the video The Invention of Morel pages 89-91, a composite of two videos that match shot for shot, one video of the room intact and another of the room as it is smashed. In the installation, the two videos would be projected simultaneously (with two different projectors) onto the same projection screen. | Photograph courtesy of Meredith James

Another still from <i>The Invention of Morel pages 89-91.</i> — Another still from The Invention of Morel pages 89-91. | Photograph courtesy of Meredith James

A third still from <i>The Invention of Morel pages 89-91.</i> — A third still from The Invention of Morel pages 89-91. | Photograph courtesy of Meredith James

<i>Corridor,</i> a work from 2009, was created from dry-cleaning conveyors and vinyl. It is 15 x 10 x 7.5 feet in size. — Corridor, a work from 2009, was created from dry-cleaning conveyors and vinyl. It is 15 x 10 x 7.5 feet in size. | Photograph courtesy of Meredith James

<i>See Through Installation</i> — See Through Installation | Photograph courtesy of Meredith James

<i>A stand of roadside cholla against which small birds had been driven by the storm and there impaled</i> (2010) — A stand of roadside cholla against which small birds had been driven by the storm and there impaled (2010) | Photograph courtesy of Meredith James. Lamp, light bulb, grow light, wood, sand, cacti, magic sculpt, crow wings, crow skull, plastic, acrylic paint, glass, oil paint, rocks, mirror. Cacti: 79 x 20 x 25.5 inches; window: 48 x 40 x 12 inches.

<i>A stand of roadside cholla against which small birds had been driven by the storm and there impaled</i> (2010) — A stand of roadside cholla against which small birds had been driven by the storm and there impaled (2010) | Photograph courtesy of Meredith James. Lamp, light bulb, grow light, wood, sand, cacti, magic sculpt, crow wings, crow skull, plastic, acrylic paint, glass, oil paint, rocks, mirror. Cacti: 79 x 20 x 25.5 inches; window: 48 x 40 x 12 inches.

<i>See-Through</i> (8 x 7 x 9 feet) was created with salvaged wood and windows. — See-Through (8 x 7 x 9 feet) was created with salvaged wood and windows. | Photograph courtesy of Meredith James

<i>Cuckoo 1 (Talking)</i> (2010) — Cuckoo 1 (Talking) (2010) | Photograph courtesy of Meredith James. Wood, cuckoo, metronome, thread. 9 x 3.5 x 2 inches.

The photographs above present additional images of work by artist Meredith James ’04, whose creations “show parallels between the world you imagine in your mind and the world we inhabit,” according to a Montage article in the November-December 2011 issue of Harvard Magazine. Distorting architectural space and playing with perceptions, James’s videos are inspired by the works of Surrealists such as Jean Cocteau, as well as by literary science-fiction novels. Watch three of her videos below: Day Shift, Door Sculpture, and Present Time.

Day Shift:

Door Sculpture:

Present Time:

Related topics

You might also like

A dancer in a black leotard poses gracefully in a bright studio, with mirrors reflecting her movement.

A New Black Swan Musical Cranks Up the Tension

The creative team of the A.R.T.’s new show dish on adapting Darren Aronofsky’s thriller classic from screen to stage.

A woman in glasses gestures while speaking to two attentive listeners at a table.

How to Cook with Wild Plants

From wild greens spanakopita to rose petal panna cotta, forager and chef Ellen Zachos makes one-of-a-kind meals.

Woman with long hair, smiling, wearing a black sweater, in a textured beige background.

For This Poet, AI Is a Writing Partner

Sasha Stiles trained a chatbot on her manuscripts. Now, her poems rewrite themselves.

Most popular

Engraved diagram showing eight ornate cast-iron stoves with chimneys labeled No. 1 to No. 4

The Franklin Stove—A Historical Climate Change Adaptation

Historian Joyce E. Chaplin reinterprets an early era of invention, industrialization, and climate challenge

Ronny Chieng wearin a suit speaks passionately at a wooden podium outdoors.

Ronny Chieng Tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as Graduates Cheer

The comedian and The Daily Show host gave the keynote address for Class Day 2026.

Three smiling individuals in business attire, standing outdoors with greenery in the background.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Explore More From Current Issue

Katie Benzan stands on a basketball court holding a ball, with a hoop in the background.

How Women Are Changing the NBA

From coaching staffs to front offices, female leaders are bringing new strategies to men’s basketball.

Portrait of a man with white hair, wearing a black coat, arms crossed, thoughtful expression.

Harvard Celebrates America’s 250th

The Framer Who Refused to Sign the Constitution

Harvard’s Elbridge Gerry helped draft the U.S. Constitution, but worried it might create a new monarch.

Three joyful graduates in caps and gowns celebrate together outdoors.

Your Harvard 2026 Commencement Week Guide

College reunions and Alumni Day will take place the following week