State House Great Hall Clock
In the center hall of the Massachusetts State House is the 'Hall of Flags' in the center ceiling is a clock. Many people may not know about the history around this clock.
Nine Things about the Great Hall Clock
- New York artist Ronald Fischer was selected from 480 applicants in 1988.
- The clock was designed by R.M. Fischer a New York artist, to serve as a functional piece of artwork. Fischer was inspired by the clocks that grace the town halls, churches and other meeting halls of New England.
- In an attempt to relate to the space surrounding the clock, he has employed many arcs and circles that echo the architectural elements of the building such as the arched doorways and circular patterns of the marbled floor.
- The lantern-like shape clock weighs in at 1-tons and is 15 foot around.
- Massachusetts raised $100,000 for the clock in 1986. It wasn't installed until 1990.
- Some people not only complained about the cost of the artwork but that it was done by a New Yorker.
- The clock was requires when any new building or renovation with public money to allocate 1 percent or a maximum of $100,000 to art.
- 27 states or territories have a "Percent for Art' program, currently Massachusetts is the only state in New England without a program.
- Currently there is An Act to establish a Massachusetts percent for arts program By Representatives Walsh of Framingham and Atkins of Concord. This particular legislation would reinstate the 'Percent for Art' program back to Massachusetts.