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Learning to Fly
Description
Multi-colored painted steel panels fold accordion style
Additional Information
The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts created the Artist-in-Industry Steel Collaboration Project with Valmont Industries and Qwest Center Omaha as a way to bring dynamic contemporary art directly to the public. Forty-one artists submitted proposals to the Bemis Center’s national sculpture competition. This piece was created by Matt Lowe. “Learning to Fly” is based upon the notion of flight or motion. The sculpture’s frame-like structure is similar to the skeletal frame used by the Wright Brothers in designing the Kitty Hawk. The box slipcovers that fit over the frame are patterned after traditional box kites. The form’s upward motion is purposeful and vertically unfolds into space. The sculpture’s worshipful posture emulates openness and movement. The colors chosen reflect the colors of sky at dawn, a time that represents promise and of hope for things yet undiscovered.In this Series
by Justin Stewart; Michael Todd
Medium: Steel
Location: Downtown, Hilton | Qwest Center; Qwest Center Corner of Douglas and 10th
Owner: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
Series: Art 4 Omaha
Additional Information: The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts created the Artist-in-Industry Steel Collaboration Project with Valmont Industries and Qwest Center Omaha as a way to bring dynamic contemporary art directly to the public. Forty-one artists submitted proposals to the Bemis Center’s national sculpture competition. This piece was created by R. Justin Stewart. The Artist-in-Industry Steel Collaboration Project was made possible by Valmont Industries, who donated resources, materials, studio workspace, access to machinery and fabrication assistance to the sculptors. Most notably, Valmont’s highly-trained technicians Tyler Pearce and Randy Banghart enabled the artists to realize their sculptures at six-times larger than their proposed models, and their expertise enabled the resulting public art to coordinate perfectly with the architecture and atmosphere of Qwest Center Omaha.
Plant Life (Art 4 Omaha), 2005
by David Helm
Medium: Steel
Location: Hilton | Qwest Center; 10th street entrance to Qwest Center 455 N. 10th Street
Owner: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
Series: Art 4 Omaha
Additional Information: The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts created the Artist-in-Industry Steel Collaboration Project with Valmont Industries and Qwest Center Omaha as a way to bring dynamic contemporary art directly to the public. Forty-one artists submitted proposals to the Bemis Center’s national sculpture competition. This piece was created by David Helm. The Artist-in-Industry Steel Collaboration Project was made possible by Valmont Industries, who donated resources, materials, studio workspace, access to machinery and fabrication assistance to the sculptors. Most notably, Valmont’s highly-trained technicians Tyler Pearce and Randy Banghart enabled the artists to realize their sculptures at six-times larger than their proposed models, and their expertise enabled the resulting public art to coordinate perfectly with the architecture and atmosphere of Qwest Center Omaha. “Plant Life” took roughly five weeks to manufacture and involved hundreds of components.
Medium: Steel
Location: Hilton | Qwest Center; Southwest entrance to the Qwest Center
Owner: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
Series: Art 4 Omaha
Additional Information: The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts created the Artist-in-Industry Steel Collaboration Project with Valmont Industries and Qwest Center Omaha as a way to bring dynamic contemporary art directly to the public. Forty-one artists submitted proposals to the Bemis Center’s national sculpture competition. This piece was created by Catherine Ferguson. The Artist-in-Industry Steel Collaboration Project was made possible by Valmont Industries, who donated resources, materials, studio workspace, access to machinery and fabrication assistance to the sculptors. Most notably, Valmont’s highly-trained technicians Tyler Pearce and Randy Banghart enabled the artists to realize their sculptures at six-times larger than their proposed models, and their expertise enabled the resulting public art to coordinate perfectly with the architecture and atmosphere of Qwest Center Omaha. The sculptor of joyful Sky Fin wants to express our shared human fantasy of flying in the sky and swimming under water at will, unassisted.