Richard Kiebdaj’s “Two to Tango.”
The Michigan City Public Art Committee’s (MAC’s) first public art project, Sculptfusion, will kick off Friday, June 21. Sculptfusion consists of eight outdoor sculptures to be displayed for a year in various locations in downtown Michigan City and near the lake.
“This is a first major multi-piece outdoor sculpture exhibition in our community, and it will contribute to the vitality of Michigan City
Kees Ouwens’ “Whispering Stones”
and serve as a focal point for exciting contemporary visual art,” MAC President Carolyn Saxton said in a press release. “Michigan City has enjoyed the presence of individual public sculptures in several locations for some time, but Sculptfusion is the first major show for eight works of art to be featured in the year-long exhibition.”
The committee juried and chose the sculptures from a field of almost 50 pieces submitted from throughout the Midwest. Sculptors and their works chosen are:
– Nicole Beck’s “Asteray,” which joins stainless steel and epoxied mosaic. Beck is based in Chicago.
– Jan Dean’s “Chorus,” a large cast bronze sculpture in abstract organic form. Dean is based in South Bend.
– Michael Grucza’s “Flip Flop,” a fabricated aluminum that stands 8 feet high by 5 feet wide. Grucza is based in Chicago.
– Douglas Gruizenga’s “Duet,” constructed from welded aluminum with two neck and head sections representing stringed instruments. Gruizenga is based in Interlochen, MI.
– Terrence Karpowicz’s “Mount,” a piece constructed of granite, steel and polymer. Karpowicz is based in Chicago.
– Richard Kiebdaj’s “Two to Tango,” made of fabricated steel painted with epoxy undercoat with a urethane finish. Kiebdaj is based in Beverly Shores.
– Kees Ouwens’ “Whispering Stones,” made of steel with stone sculptures. Ouwens is based in Blissfield, MI.
– Ken Thompson’s “Thin Series: Off the Diet,” a piece of carved granite. Thompson is based in Michigan.
Douglas Gruizenga’s “Duet”
In addition to two sculptures being placed in Washington Park, one will be located at Charles R. Wescott Park, one each at the northwest corners of the intersections of Franklin and Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Ninth streets, and one on the west side of Franklin between Eighth and Ninth streets. Brochures describing the works and giving their locations will be available at the Michigan City Public Library, LaPorte County Conventions and Visitors Bureau and Lubeznik Center for the Arts.
For more information, contact Carolyn Saxton at 219-874-4900.