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CODAsummit Unites Top Artists and Technology Professionals
CODAworx, the hub of the commissioned art economy, announced today that it will produce this year’s CODAsummit in Denver, Colorado, on September 30-October 2, 2020. This third annual conference explores the intersection of art and technology, bringing together leading artists, fabricators, technology companies and thought leaders in art and design from around the globe. CODAsummit 2020 focuses on the paradigm shift in art enabled by technology and features artists who are using technology to create placemaking commissions.
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Celebrating Excellence and Commissioning Art for Schools
In the fall of 2017, the Waunakee Area Public Arts Committee (WAPAC) fundraised for the purpose of commissioning an artist to design, fabricate, and install a sculpture to champion the theme of “celebrating teachers, staff, students, and excellence in education.” The WAPAC wanted a public sculpture that would enhance a heavily trafficked public location and create an experience for all who gather there. The chosen site was the entrance to the high school because it hosts many community events and is where they could celebrate students of all ages. After narrowing the applications and hearing presentations facilitated by CODAworx from three highly qualified candidates, WAPAC selected California artist Michael Kalish.
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CODAawards Announces Distinguished Jury of Design + Art Leaders
CODAworx, the hub of the commissioned art economy, has announced 17 distinguished jurors for the seventh annual CODAawards. These thought leaders in design and art will review and select projects in ten design categories, shining a spotlight on successful collaborations between artists, design professionals, and other members of the project team.
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Capturing Movement: The Inspiration and Impact of Joe Gitterman’s Sculptural Work
The curve and sweep of Joe Gitterman’s sculptures reflect a lifelong fascination with the physical dynamics and emotional impact of dance. “I have always been passionate about dance performance. As an audience member, I am intrigued by the constant change of shapes and the seemingly endless variety of forms. My passion is trying to turn a fluid motion into a three-dimensional item.”
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Technologies for Ecstatic Transformation: Chad Mount’s Art of Spectacular Lights and Sensorial Surprises
‘’I strive to create new sensory experiences. I use all kinds of technologies to make my art more surprising, more beautiful, more emotionally moving.” For Oklahoma City-based artist Chad Mount, there is no division between technology and art. ‘’Technology in all of its forms is really important when we’re talking about public art. What’s available now is really mind-blowing. I find that people in tech and the arts are really open to collaborating. We have to be learning from one another to make public art more impactful and meaningful.”
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Balancing Acts: The Cellular Sculptures of DeWitt Godfrey
“People who spend time with my work are amazed that they move slightly when touched- they are incredibly strong, but they are also surprisingly delicate.” Sculptor DeWitt Godfrey has spent his professional life fascinated by the physics and practical application of materials. The hallmark of his current sculptures are conical metal sections, which when multiplied and combined create works of placid organic beauty. These ovoid shapes give Godfrey’s work the uncanny ability to appear to change shape as light transforms their convex and concave surfaces. “My works arise out of a process in which I am always in touch with what the materials show me regarding what forms are possible.’ This is as true for the elements that make up the sculptures themselves as for the architectural structures and natural landscapes that are the settings for his commissions. Godfrey refers to this process as “form finding as opposed to form declaration.”
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The Invitation of Color and Illumination: Wagner Murray’s Architectural Transformations of Public Space
The strategic use of light, pattern, and color is key for Wagner Murray Architects as the firm embarks on transforming existing public areas into entirely new spatial events. “The emotional experience of human beings within an architectural space is what it’s really about.” says principle Dave Wagner. “It has to appear effortless. The public doesn’t have to know why they feel the way that they do; the architectural elements simply have to work together harmoniously to bring about the desired effect.”
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Weaving With Light: Textile Artist Astrid Krogh Designs Light Tapestries That Transform the Spaces They Illuminate
“To work with textiles is to work with patterns,” says Denmark-based designer Astrid Krogh, whose sculptures transform everyday spaces into glowing, dynamic environments. Fascinated by the interplay of textile and light, Krogh has modernized the centuries-old technique of tapestry weaving with the use of thoroughly modern materials including neon, reflective metals, and optic fiber.
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Romancing the Stone: The Enduring and Elegant Creations of Master Stone Carver Marcel Mächler
Whether he is engraving inspired quotations onto the gleaming walls of a state capital, carving exquisite objects from marble for private gardens, or restoring historical statues that have succumbed to the forces of time, master stone carver Marcel Mächler’s craft requires patience and precision. “The physical intensity of carving stone is a real workout and the need to remain continually focused as the work proceeds is true mental exercise. No matter what your emotional state, you have to be totally present with the stone and the tools.” In an era when the traditional trades of maker-culture are fading, artist-craftsmen like Mächler seek to maintain a lived connection with the past. "Stone carving is perhaps the oldest of the arts. When I am working on a project I often think about all of the people who have come before me. Each of them had this special connection with stone." The relationship of a stone carver to his materials is one of deep devotion.
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City Finds Public Artist for Plaza Art Installation
The City of Greenville's Senior Economic Development Project Manager, Tracy Ramseur, realized that there was a need to update a plaza at the busy intersection of Main and Augusta Streets. This plaza not only was a place for relaxation and outdoor dining, but it also served as a gateway between Main Street’s shopping and Falls Park, the city's crown jewel.