Sam Castner and Lindsey Dean
Visions of Public Art
Emergence
Steel, stainless steel, bronze
“Throughout existence singular elements combine and form collectives. Emergence occurs when an entity is observed to have properties its parts do not have on their own. These properties or behaviors emerge only when the parts interact in a wider whole. These complex systems are ubiquitous and can be experienced through a planet in a solar system, a person in a community, or a cell in a body. Through the implicit and repetitive acts of welding and slicing sheet metal, the collaborators create complex structures that comment on the inter-connectivity of individuals in a whole.
“The processes that embody Emergence are intrinsically meditative and therapeutic for the artists. Through implementing specific patterns and rules a complex structure arises while celebrating traditional and contemporary craft techniques. The spheres are constructed by the traditional act of welding multiple, small parts to make a whole. Further, the ribbons are meticulously designed on the computer and repetitively laser cut into sheet metal. The shapes are dependent on each other as they interact and dance in the space they inhabit. The structure is whimsical, celestial, and skeletal; its ubiquitousness is reminiscent of networks in nature. Scaled up to the public sphere Emergence has a momentum that pulls the viewer in. The multitude of negative space throughout it creates shadows that interact with the environment its engulfed in. Instead of sitting on top of the landscape, the sculpture seamlessly connects to its surroundings.
“Public art has the ability to make a presence to individuals both in and out of the art realm. Within Emergence is a bench that invites individuals of any degree to sit and hold space during their day. It’s a moment to gaze and watch the intricate, causal relations of inter-connectivity happening throughout a community.”
Visions of Public Art was presented in 2019 as part of [Current Seen] Big Ideas. Small Venues.
Current Seen supports the region's growing contemporary art community by bringing new curatorial voices and new artists together near East Ave. and Main St. in Rochester, New York.
2019 Core Venues (Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Central Library of Rochester, Visual Studies Workshop, RIT City Art Space) and Framework Venues (galleries, community and alternative spaces, and pop-up venues) hosted curated exhibitions of local and national artists related to the general theme: our current moment / our changing city.
Building upon First Friday Rochester, Current Seen is intended to foster collaboration, help spaces achieve greater collective impact, celebrate the act of curation, and aid artists in reaching new expanded audiences. Programs include more than 20 exhibitions and events organized by both experienced and emerging curators spanning three generations. The lead organizer of Current Seen is Bleu Cease, Executive Director of Rochester Contemporary Art Center.