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Matthew J. Placzek
Mediums: No specialty noted.
Contact Information
Mplaczek@aol.com (402) 551-1200Art Pieces
Mediums: Bronze
Location: Downtown; Adjacent to the World War II Monument and lake at Heartland of America Park, 8th & Douglas Streets
Owner: City of Omaha
Additional Information: The Heartland Airborne Memorial is a testimonial to the persistence, patience, tireless work and vision of Airborne veterans in our community who stayed the course in completing their mission and to the many benefactors who donated to the campaign.
Firefighters Memorial (The Protector) , 2009
Mediums: Bronze
Location: Downtown; Lewis & Clark Landing 515 Riverfront Drive
Owner: City of Omaha
Additional Information: This original bronze sculpture is a memorial to Omaha’s fallen firefighters. Each of the 55 men who lost their lives protecting the Omaha community is recognized with a bronze plaque located within the memorial. The monument commemorates the courageous acts and lives given in the line of duty. “The Protector” was donated by Firefighters Union 385.
Mediums: Bronze
Location: Hilton | Qwest Center; South side of the Qwest Center 455 N. 10th St.
Owner: MECA
Additional Information: Omaha sculptor Matthew Placzek tries to create art that people can relate to. His philosophy is evident in "Illumina," a $2 million public art project that now graces the grounds of Qwest Center Omaha. The project's bronze sculptures, dedicated in ceremonies held in May 2007, are reminiscent of an era in which performers, large sculptures and other forms of art were an active part of daily street life and local events. Anchored by a 35-foot stainless steel clock, "Illumina" features six, oversized bronze figures, including a 14-foot-tall stilts walker. Numerous multicolored spheres also adorn the arena lobby, adding depth and vibrancy to the sculpture. Inside the lobby, an illuminated sphere sculpture will produce a state-of-the-art light show in the evenings. The entire project, which Placzek cites as his largest and most important to date, consists of more than 2,000 LED lights, 4,000 pounds of bronze, 28,000 pounds of stainless steel and 360 tons of concrete. Its size, diversity of elements and complexity of design required a collaborative effort involving specialists from across the country.
Mediums: Steel
Location: Downtown, Omaha-Council Bluffs Bridge; 601 Riverfront Drive near the river
Owner: City of Omaha
Additional Information: This monument is a salute to the dedication and hard work of all those who built the city of Omaha. It is the second largest labor monument in the United States.
Through the Currents of Space , 1991
Mediums: Bronze
Location: Downtown; 1200 Farnam
Owner: Landmark Building
by John David Brcin; Matthew J. Placzek
Mediums: Bronze
Location: Joslyn; Joslyn Art Museum Sculpture Garden 2200 Dodge St.
Owner: Joslyn Art Museum
Additional Information: Serbian-born sculptor John David Brcin was commissioned by architects John and Alan McDonald to create the sculptural panels adorning the four corners of the Joslyn building. This statue of a Sioux warrior, originally proposed and modeled by Brcin in the late 1920s for the entrance to the Museum, was ultimately deleted from the sculptural program in favor of a less decorated approach to the building. In 2008 Omaha sculptor Matthew Placzek was commissioned to realize Brcin’s work for Joslyn’s new sculpture garden.
Mediums: Stainless Steel, Acrylic
Location: Metropolitan Community College; Metropolitan Community College Institute for the Culinary Arts Building, Fort Omaha Campus near the 32nd and Sorensen Parkway entrance.
Owner: Metropolitan Community College
Additional Information: According to the artist, "Enrichment Path" represents the lifelong learning environment that promotes student success.
Mediums: Bronze, Steel, Mixed Media, LED Lights
Location: Mid-Town; Children's Hospital 8200 Dodge St. The installation is on the corner of 82nd and Dodge
Owner: Children's Hospital
Additional Information: According to the artist, the piece symbolizes the nurturing and protection that the hospital offers its young patients. Each of the larger than life children's statues and silver umbrellas are beacons of a LED light show that is capable of projecting 16 million colors. Inside the structure, the breathtaking tree of 15 umbrellas soar upon a 65 foot steel ribbon, allowing the viewer to imagine joy that follows healing.