You might have noticed in recent weeks that our annual display of new sculptures has arrived. If you’ve not walked through Krutch Park, it’s worth the stroll to enjoy seventeen new sculptures placed there by Dogwood Arts through their Art in Public Spaces program. Krutch Park is not the only place you’ll spot new works. A total of thirty new outdoor sculptures have been placed in surrounding areas, including Emory Place and five new locations including South Knoxville at Johnson Architecture, East Knoxville at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens, and three placements along the Greenway in Maryville.
This year’s new work includes 24 artists from 14 different states. Also included in Krutch Park and other spots are eight sculptures on permanent display. The program, in its 18th year, features a different juror each years for the selection of the works, with Andrea Bailey serving as this year’s juror. Ms. Baily has an extensive background in the arts and is Executive Director of the Aslan Foundation, as well as Chair of the City of Knoxville Public Art Committee.
As always, the sculptures include works to delight and challenge. Which ones are which is always a personal matter. I’ll highlight a few that are my early favorites, though a favorites list can evolve over time. One of my favorites is the first pictured at the top of the article. Beau Lyday’s Omega Continuum, particularly with its scall and its placement in front of the pool, presents as a portal. The artist calls it a “portal/moon-gate” and notes the reference to the Greek letter.
“Steampunk Babylon” by Charles Pilkey (above) also grabbed me a bit. Mr. Pilkey describes the work as “A modern day Tower of Babel with human and animal figures scattered among machine parts and architectural forms. A symbol of our industrial civilization.” There’s a lot to look at an ponder, particularly the relationships between industry, people, and animals. For me, a beautiful sculpture might be appealing, but I generally gravitate to a compelling sculpture that makes me think. This is one of the latter.
Another that falls into the same category is Andy Denton’s “You Always Live Again,” pictured above. The two male heads topped by a skull provokes a reaction. Who are these people? The same person? Connected in some way? And how do we always live again? The artist said of the work only, “It’s about reincarnation and living your fullest life.”
Two whimsical sculptures make me smile. Kevin Vanek’s “The Screws That We Lose are the Hardest to Replace,” features a very large screw driver (I didn’t realize that at first, tbh), with a screw at the top. I took it as a funny take on the aging brain, but that’s not what the artist had in mind. “This is an oversized screwdriver made of cast and fabricated aluminum with a cast bronze screw balanced on the top of a screwdriver. The screwdriver is a phillip’s head drive while the screw on the top is a flat head design. This is to show the loss of technical trade knowledge as a result of the loss of trade-based education in lower education.” I didn’t see that coming.
Another that makes me smile is Matte Amante’s “Teeter Tower.” I think it’s as much for the name as anything. The artist said, “Teeter Tower is a formalist sculpture that plays with the idea of a repetitive form and balance. This piece has a four-foot tall rusted steel base with five disc and hemisphere forms that balance precariously, giving the sense that it could teeter and tip at any moment.”
The last two that I’ll mention, also drew me in, both pictured above. “Tribal Allegiance” is such a struggle in our country and world right now, that it made for a provocative title. Morgan only says, “This is a futuristic or prehistoric Tribal Symbol made from scrap material. In “Inheritance II, Delert says the sculpture “is made entirely from found, cast off and recycled catalytic converter covers or heat shields,” that he collected from highways near his studio. He said it is to call attention to our oil dependence and pollution. “Recycling these parts is one way to both call attention attention to the problems and as a small solution by recycling cast-off parts.”
So, which are your favorites? Which ones make you scratch your head and say, “Hmm.” That’s what they are for. Get out and enjoy them. There’s nothing quite like experiencing them in person. If you’d like more information, including the artists’ websites and prices (yes, they are all for sale), you’ll find that here.