EDITORS: Graphic available on request.

ANN ARBOR—Passing by the Matrix Gallery at 111 4th Ave., in Ann Arbor, one begins to wonder why the front windows appear to be covered with pages of paper with a hole in the middle of this “tapestry” through which one can peep inside.

Raymond and Stevens and the Matrix Gallery’s peephole Photo by Martin Vloet, U-M Photo Services

The answer is the entire window is the latest sidewalk peephole installation created by two Ann Arbor artists—Leslie Raymond, an adjunct lecturer in the University of Michigan’s School of Art and Design who doubles as a media assistant at U-M’s School of Social Work; and Jason Jay Stevens. The duo works under the title Potter-Belmar Labs.

This latest installation is the third designed in cooperation with the Matrix and is titled “Tiamat v. Marduk.” The artists say the name of the installation comes from a 4,000-year-old Babylonian myth of creation wherein the heroic god Marduk defeats the dragon-like goddess, Tiamat, who represents the universe prior to the time of the gods and is depicted as a swirling watery chaos. As a result of his success, Marduk becomes king of the gods and establishes order, which eventually gives rise to human civilization and language.

The papers hanging just behind the window of the Matrix are mostly reproductions of legal works handwritten in script with a few in type. When one looks through them via the peephole, the swirling watery chaos of Tiamat can be seen.

The installation will continue through April 15.

Raymond has won numerous awards for her film works including the Detroit Filmmakers Coalition Best Local Filmmaker Award at the 2000 Ann Arbor Film Festival.

School of Art and DesignDetroit Filmmakers Coalition