Category steel sculpture
Who Restores the Art Outdoors? Clues in Cambridge Examples: William Reimann’s Bollards and Bland Hoke’s “Artesian Well”
As I have visited and revisited local art outdoors for many years, I’ve seen how artwork can be worn down by time, weather, and all imaginable events. Luckily, also I have seen how artwork can be restored by planful focused funded teamwork. For example, here are photos, quotes and links with hints of how change happened at two sites in Cambridge.
David Phillips’ Art Interacts with Musical Instruments at New England Conservatory
My Saturday afternoon visit to David Phillip’s sculptures along St. Botolph Street was an opportunity to see many young students with string instruments heading to or from lessons and rehearsals. The transported instruments heightened my awareness that each sculpture referenced parts of cellos and violins. This post includes a few photos from that October day plus quotes and links that offer background and pertinent information about the artist’s work. Quotes among the photos all come from one source, which gives perspective on the funding by Tony Lopes for David Phillips’ art: “Sandwich Artist Creates Sculptures For New England Conservatory” by JOANNE BRIANA-GARTNER in Cape News, Sept 2022
Continue with 2022 ART RAMBLE, “In the Balance,” Focus on Three More Artists: Paul Angiolillo, Carolyn Enz Hack, Jose Trejo-Maya
This third post completes the series of related posts for 2022 ART RAMBLE, “In the Balance,” with photos, quotes, and links for three more of the eleven artists* (four more of the seventeen installations*). The first post includes an overview. All three note the curator talk on October 16 and other valuable resources. Whether I post again before the final day, November 19, I intend to revisit and reflect on significant connections between the forest and the artworks!
We Become Aware of Active Air through 2021 Art Ramble in Hapgood Wright Town Forest
Based on September and October visits to 2021 Art Ramble, I add this fourth post, which features installations by BARD, Martha Heller, and Kiyomi Yatsuhashi. As in the three earlier posts, artist names, installation title, materials and quotes from the artists’ statements about their installations appear above my photos. Quotes and links are from The Umbrella Arts & Environment Website headed 2021 Art Ramble: Something in the Air.
Artists Reshape Forest Spaces during 2021 ART RAMBLE “Something in the Air”
Curated by Laurie Bogdan and Kimberley Harding; Hapgood Wright Town Forest in Concord, MA, September 1 – November 14…The Umbrella site 2021 Art Ramble: “Something in the Air” lists the sixteen artists’ bios, websites, and statements about their artwork, as well as audio versions to access as you move along.I visited in September and October, followed by posts, each focusing on four installations. This third post connects four more through their relation to the forest’s trees, shadows, and light while always aware of the air.
Jaume Plensa’s Sculptures Make Many Meaningful Connections
Jaume Plensa’s Humming came to deCordova Sculpture Park almost ten years ago, generating innumerable reminders of how powerful sculpture can be. As a guide at the park, Humming has given me reliable ways to connect with others about how and why a tall translucent entrancing head might come to be. Humming has brought perspective to other art in the park, and it has led me to more sculpture by the same artist as well.
Metal Preserves and Transforms Features of Trees in Art by Ed Shay and Letha Wilson
Ed Shay’s ten-foot-tall bronze “Acadian Gyro” entered deCordova Sculpture park about three decades ago. Letha Wilson’s nearly as tall cor-ten steel sculpture “Hawaii California Steel(Figure/Ground)” came in about two years ago. Until now I hadn’t considered their common key elements: 1) attention to the forms of leaves and branches, 2) expressive rendering of those forms in durable metals ( bronze and steel) 3)relation to the seasonally changing foliage of nearby trees. My awareness grew from posting about four more obviously tree-related artworks in the park and noting further connections. Though I have been a volunteer guide in the park for almost two decades, this focus led me deeper into resources with heightened reasons to share them.
African Masks Generated Art in Restored Sculptures by Vusumuzi Maduna
In the early 1980’s artist Vusumuzi Maduna created two monumental sculptures inspired by African masks; “Inner City Totem I” outside the Cambridge Community Center and “Inner City Totem II” outside Margaret Fuller House. Sadly stressed by decades of New England seasons, both were recently restored in ways that should help them stand through countless decades ahead. Here are photos from my visits to each site this month with quotes from key resources about the art, artist, and restoration.
Art Outdoors 