Matthew Baral, artist 
Glendale City Hall Lobby, 2020 – 2022

Matthew Baral is a Master of Fine Arts student at Arizona State University, with a focus in wood and sculpture. He comes from a background in medicine and has been a practicing physician and clinical professor for the past twenty years. His work is driven by a fascination with the science behind beauty, and how it influences our behavior. Biophilia, the concept that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life, directs the research and preparation for his projects. Matthew’s intent is to induce the feelings we experience when viewing nature by using the same aesthetically pleasing patterns found in flora and fauna, known as fractals. The effects of these patterns demonstrated through research include relaxation, fascination, and curiosity. Fractals are defined as “geometric shapes that are equally complex in their details as in their overall form.” They are found everywhere in nature, and frequently emulated in architecture. Humans are attracted to these fractal forms, possibly due to a deep-seated resonance we feel with the natural world. 

Three Arcs consists of three separate units made from oak. All of the units are based on the same repeating two-point system, with dimensional variations. The colors that appear on the inner aspects of each unit change slightly as they are viewed from different positions.