We Are Stardust
Laurel Porcari
We Are Stardust is a free-standing, curved, kiln-glass and steel sculpture designed by New Orleans artist Laurel Porcari. We Are Stardust is located inside Einstein Hospital’s Jack D. Weiler Lobby on the Montefiore Medical Center campus in the Bronx, NY.
The Fine Art Program and Collection at Montefiore Einstein is based in the belief that art can help set the tone for one’s healing experience. An example of this is the Einstein Hospital lobby. It serves as a primary entrance for patients, family members, caregivers, physicians, medical students, and the community. Montefiore curators sought an artistic beacon for this newly renovated space – something visitors would immediately encounter that focused on inclusivity and community. They commissioned Porcari to create We Are Stardust, giving the lobby a compelling and connecting identity. Porcari was born and raised in Yonkers, NY, a few miles west of Weiler Hospital. The commission was both a return to her New York roots and the accomplishment of her first commission in the tri-state area.
According to Porcari, “the artwork takes its inspiration from the original hospital namesake Albert Einstein and his work that is the foundation to our understanding of the observable universe through his theory of relativity. The design evokes a spiral galaxy suggesting the cycle of life and one’s place within the universe, as well as connections through human experiences.” Porcari’s use of color in the piece “was inspired by the unifying power of the visible light spectrum and the science of Spectroscopy. The swirling patterns suggest the continuous cycles of life. When light and color are applied to the physical world it subverts physical differences between human beings.” The connections the artist made is evidence of her understanding of the patient population in the Bronx hospital, located in one of the most diverse counties in America.
“We Are Stardust is about our human connectedness and shared place in the universe.”
– Laurel Porcari
Comprised of six panels; each panel consists of a concealed support frame, kilnformed art glass panels, and intricately patterned and brushed stainless steel overlays. This free-standing feature wall, installed in an alcove located between the reception desk and gift shop, measures 10’9” H x 13’3” W x 5” D and weighs approximately 2000 pounds.
We are Stardust was followed up by a second commission in the same glass style, called Our Celestial Bodies.