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.
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.
Another still from <i>The Invention of Morel pages 89-91.</i>
A third still from <i>The Invention of Morel pages 89-91.</i>
<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.
<i>See Through Installation</i>
<i>A stand of roadside cholla against which small birds had been driven by the storm and there impaled</i> (2010)
<i>A stand of roadside cholla against which small birds had been driven by the storm and there impaled</i> (2010)
<i>See-Through</i> (8 x 7 x 9 feet) was created with salvaged wood and windows.
<i>Cuckoo 1 (Talking)</i> (2010)

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:

You might also like

How AI Is Reshaping Supply Chains

Harvard Kennedy School lecturer on using AI to strengthen supply chains

This Astronomer is Sounding a Warning on ‘Space Junk’

As debris accumulates in low Earth orbit, the danger of destructive collisions continues to rise.

Understanding AI Vulnerabilities

As artificial intelligence capabilities evolve, so too will the tactics used to exploit them. 

Most popular

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

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

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.

Harvard Faculty Approve a Cap on A Grades

Reforms to reduce grade inflation will take effect in the fall of 2027.

Explore More From Current Issue

Historical scene depicting a parade with soldiers and a town square in the background.

When the Revolution Hit Cambridge, Harvard Moved to Concord

College students broke hearts and windows during their year in exile.

White House and Harvard University buildings split diagonally with contrasting colors.

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

The federal government has launched unprecedented actions against the University. Here’s a guide.

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

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.