Two years before this project, the staff at the Ackland Art Museum decided to celebrate its fortieth anniversary by considering the commission of an artwork for the front of its building. They felt than an environmentally sensitive, site-integrated artwork rather than an isolated sculpture would best satisfy their needs as well as those of the community. Consequently, five artists (Elizabeth Conner, Adam Kuby, Andrew Leicester, Winifred Lutz, Ritsuko Taho, and Patrick Dougherty) were invited to spend a weekend in Chapel Hill meeting with staff and studying the land between the Museum and the street. Its location offered an opportunity to create a compelling and highly visible public space in the heart of Chapel Hill, one hundred feet from its busiest intersection.