Sculpture on the beach

I walked down to Lake Michigan the other day and found these found-object sculptures on the beach. Thank you, whoever assembled these, it was wonder-full to happen upon your work (or play, however you like to think of it).

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A few days after posting this, I received an invitation to come down to that beach to build something, an event organized by the maker of the beach sculpture I'd just photographed...

Art in Vermont

It seemed like every other person I met while visiting Vermont recently introduced themselves as an artist, or an artist and a writer... and I happened upon some wonderful art while wandering around only half looking. This sign on Route 100 in Waitsfield, Vermont made me turn the car around and go back to investigate:

And as I looked around at the sculpture surrounded this garage/studio/residence, the door opened and the artist, John Matusz, emerged in full bicycle-riding regalia... I asked permission to take photos and post them on my blog. The artist claimed to be completely computer illiterate and said he didn't even know what a blog was except that "it's something you young people do." sigh.

Matusz said he has been living and working in Vermont since 1971; a quick web search produced a couple reviews of Matusz shows in Vermont, including this 2007 quote from the Mad River Reporter:

As art critic Ric Kasini Kadour stated in his essay on Matusz's work, "They are sensual and mighty, simple and glorious."

You can read the entire article here. Matusz had a show of his charcoal/pastel nudes in Burlington, Vermont in 2008; to see an image and read a review, click here.

I loved the way Matusz had appropriated found (rescued maybe?) materials, either incorporating them into a larger work or in this case, just giving the thing (sorry I don't have the titles for these) legs and a base. The piece below seems to have come complete with a mouth a nose and a bunch of eyes... 

Matusz is also co-founder of a sculpture park and gallery in Stowe, Vermont: The West Branch Gallery and Sculpture Park, which is going on my list for a visit next time I go to Vermont.

Coelancath, Welded Steel and Granite, 8’6” H
This one makes me think of Brancusi's bird sculptures, gone industrial.

That's Matusz on the bike in the background...

All images ©John Matusz. Used by permission of the artist. Don't use them for anything or I will get into trouble. Thanks. For not getting me in trouble.

Contact Matusz:
Blacknewt Sculpture Studio
Route 100, Main Street
P.O. Box 708
Phone: (802) 496-5843

Brancusi

When the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi died in Paris, he left the contents of his studio to the Musée National d'Art Moderne where an entire building is devoted to displaying his work as it was arranged in place by Brancusi. It's otherwordly, I was sorry it was all clean and behind glass, but here are some photos.