2025

THIS SCULPTURE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO PHOTOGRAPH

Unfortunately when I saw this sculpture it reminded me of the most disappointing computer that I ever had and it was expensive.

The cylindrical Mac Pro, released in 2013, was a radical departure from previous Mac Pro designs.

Its compact size and innovative thermal core were initially praised, but it quickly became a source of controversy and disappointment for many professional users.  

What it was:

Radical Design: A small, cylindrical design with a polished aluminium finish.
Unified Thermal Core: Components were mounted around a central core for efficient cooling.
Powerful Specs: Offered with dual Intel Xeon processors and AMD FirePro GPUs.
Focus on External Expansion: Relied heavily on Thunderbolt 2 for external peripherals and expansion.

Why it disappointed:

Limited Internal Expansion: Lack of traditional PCIe slots hindered customisation and upgrades, a crucial aspect for professional workflows.
Thermal Issues: Despite the innovative design, some users reported thermal throttling under heavy loads.
GPU Limitations: The reliance on AMD FirePro GPUs meant limited options and less support compared to NVIDIA GPUs, which were preferred by many professionals.
Price: It was expensive, especially considering the limitations and lack of upgrade options.

Apple’s Lack of Support:

Stagnant Updates: The “trashcan” Mac Pro went for years without meaningful updates, leaving users with outdated hardware.
Admission of Failure: Apple eventually acknowledged the design’s shortcomings and admitted it didn’t meet the needs of many professional users.

The “trashcan” Mac Pro serves as a reminder of the importance of understanding user needs and the limitations of prioritising form over function. It also highlights the challenges of balancing innovation with the need for flexibility and upgradeability in professional computing.

Fergus Martin’s “Barrel 2020” at IMMA is a large, highly reflective, cylindrical sculpture. Its smooth, polished surface creates a mirror-like effect, reflecting the surrounding environment and the viewer themselves. This reflectivity is a key aspect of the work, blurring the lines between the object and its surroundings. The sculpture’s form is simple and geometric, a perfect cylinder that emphasises its industrial origins. It’s this simplicity and starkness that perhaps leads to comparisons with objects like the Mac Pro. The lack of surface detail, beyond the reflections, draws attention to the form itself and the way it interacts with light and space.

Martin’s work often explores the relationship between form and material, and “Barrel 2020” is a clear example of this. The highly polished surface, while seemingly simple, requires considerable technical skill to achieve and maintain. This focus on craftsmanship is an important part of Martin’s practice. The title, “Barrel,” while perhaps misleading in terms of the object’s appearance, might be intended to play with our expectations and preconceptions about what a “barrel” can be. It creates a tension between the name and the reality of the object, prompting us to consider the meaning and associations we attach to both.

The sculpture’s placement at IMMA is also crucial. The outdoor setting allows the reflections to constantly shift and change, depending on the light, weather, and the movement of viewers. This dynamic interaction with the environment adds another layer of complexity to the work.

So, in short, “Barrel 2020” is a minimalist, reflective cylinder that invites contemplation on form, material, and the relationship between the object and its surroundings. My sincere apologies for the earlier, completely inaccurate description.