BY CHRISTINA GREEN 80 boutiquedesign.com MAY 2015 CONFRONTING THE DUALITY of life and death may seem like a heavy theme for a reception area, but that's exactly what guests encounter when checking into the new Deborah Berke Partnersdesigned 21c Museum Hotel in Durham, N.C. Behind the front desk-itself a sculptural work by Claire Shegog-is a temporary wall sculpture by Spanish artist Carlos Aires titled "Face to Face with Death II." That work consists of 93 laser-cut vinyl records cut into shapes derived from media sources and interspersed with a series of Plexiglas insects. The piece's arrangement in the form of an infinity symbol emphasizes the eternal cycle of re-creation. "Together, the wall and table sculptures energize the lobby through their vibrant color, detailed forms and complementary circular design," says Alice Gray Stites, 21c Museum Hotels' vice president and museum director. C H R I S C O O P E R C O U R T E S Y O F 2 1C M U S E U M H O T E L S INFINITE GESTUREShttp://www.boutiquedesign.com