File Under So. Co., Waiting for...

The artwork in August 2020

File Under So. Co., Waiting for... is a public art installation in Burlington, Vermont. Built in 2002 by Bren Alvarez, the concept and name symbolise the delay in building the Southern Connector ("So. Co.", a proposed northward extension of the I-189 to downtown Burlington).[1] The filing cabinet is over 40 ft tall and was created by welding standard filing cabinets together[2] over a year, with a steel rod inside keeping it upright.[3] The 38 drawers in the cabinet symbolised the years since the Southern Connector was first proposed in 1965.[4] Birds have been known to nest in the upper drawers.

"World's tallest filing cabinet"

Alvarez' piece has been described as "the world's tallest filing cabinet";[4] however, Untitled (Minuet in MG) at Di Rosa in Napa, California, is a filing cabinet (made from a shredded 1974 MG Midget) which stands 65 feet tall.[5][6]

Relocation

In August 2020, due to the perceived imminence of construction in the area, it was decided to relocate the filing cabinet 100 ft from its previous position onto a new 10 ft pedestal.[1] It is now located at 208 Flynn Avenue, Burlington.[7]

File Herd: On the Road to Extinction

In 2020, an exhibition titled "File Herd: On the Road to Extinction" was showcased during the South End Art Hop in Burlington. Transformed filing cabinets were displayed around the original pedestal of File Under So. Co., Waiting for...[8]

  • "File Herd: On the Road to Extinction" display sign
    "File Herd: On the Road to Extinction" display sign
  • Cloud...? What Cloud? placed on the original pedestal
    Cloud...? What Cloud? placed on the original pedestal
  • Two Cows and a Calf
    Two Cows and a Calf
  • the dead provide a home for us living
    the dead provide a home for us living
  • MISC: entropy is running the show
    MISC: entropy is running the show

References

  1. ^ a b Carroll, Joe. "World's Tallest Filing Cabinet to move from current Burlington spot". www.wcax.com.
  2. ^ Green, Susan (25 September 2002). "Miles of Files: A "connected" art exhibit puts paperwork in perspective". Seven Days. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  3. ^ Polston, Pamela. "WTF: What's With the File Cabinet Tower on Burlington's Flynn Avenue?". Seven Days. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b Hallenbeck, Brent (23 April 2019). "People gather to worship the world's tallest filing cabinet: 'Praise to the cabinet!'". Burlington Free Press. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  5. ^ Brady-Herndon, Gary (30 August 2001). "World's largest file cabinet now on Napa hillside". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  6. ^ Baker, Kenneth (24 July 2001). "Di Rosa Goes Vertical". SFGATE. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  7. ^ "So. Co: File Under". www.burlingtoncityarts.org. Burlington City Arts. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Art Hop 2020: All Events + Happenings". SEABA. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
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44°27′21″N 73°13′02″W / 44.455733°N 73.217131°W / 44.455733; -73.217131


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