Why Public Art?
The better question is why not? Public art has been with us for time eternal beginning with the cave man. He drew murals on the walls of his cave to illustrate or advertise to others about his fruitful hunt, the size of his family and his day-to-day survival. Early inhabitants of the British Isles built Newgrange and Stonehenge to show their power and to mark their existence. The Egyptians constructed pyramids to honor their pharaohs and in the process created long-lasting reminders of their once great empire. Or consider the Greeks and the Romans, true masters of the carved edifice and statuary, a huge influence still felt today.
As Americans, we’ve come to this party a bit late and possibly a bit misdirected. Up until the late 1960’s, most public art in American was that of creating monuments to our heroes and memorializing wars; there is an important place for this honored art form. But, the 1960’s taught us that it is O.K. to make art for art’s sake, and that we don’t have to have a purpose! By the 1980’s, many cities and states were forming public art committees and sponsoring sculpture and mural competitions to engage the artists with their communities.
Now, in the early years of the new millennium, the engagement continues with temporary outdoor sculpture exhibits. These exhibits have gained appeal because of their accessibility and affordability (as many municipalities cut funding for the arts). Who benefits from these exhibits? Everyone. The exhibits serve to increase awareness of the visual arts, assert that a community is forward thinking and energetic, improve the quality of life, dress-up the urban landscape and provide artists with a venue to showcase and sell the work. Not to mention the economic impact which can be significant.
It is tough in these difficult times to justify public art in any form, but remember: art is created not necessarily to sustain life but to enhance it.
Kenneth M. Thompson
Founded in 2003, The Midwest Sculpture Initiative was formed out of Ken Thompson's personal desire for more outdoor sculpture opportunities and was a natural extension of Flatlanders Sculpture Supply and Art Galleries.
Hence MSI's mission is to: Provide outdoor sculpture exhibitions throughout the Midwest, promote cooperation among art and civic organizations, advance the role that the visual arts play in the quality of life and increase economic development.
In pursuing this goal, MSI has assembled 119 such exhibits thus far. In organizing all of these exhibits MSI has collaborated with community members, committees, individual hosts, arts professionals and sculptors. MSI possesses a database of over 900 sculptors to solicit work from, a website for promotion of exhibitions, large inventory of 'rentable' concrete pads, the heavy equipment necessary for the placement of pads and artwork, and the expertise to complete the task on time and on budget. SI holds twelve to fifteen exhibits yearly. All exhibits feature the following benefits to the exhibiting sculptor:
stipends of $900.(paid to sculptor at time of installation;
highly visibility sites;
year-long coordinated media promotions;
most venues offer guided tours;
exhibits posted on the MSI website with links to and from the hosts websites;
concrete pads and installation services;
strongly encourages sales (MSI has proven year after year that it can sell sculpture, ask the many happy sculptors)
and MSI, with the 'host', will provide liability insurance (sculptor supplies damage and loss insurance).
All exhibits begin approximately May 1st and conclude April 15th (the following year).
Founder:
Ken Thompson holds a Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Siena Heights University, a Master of Liberal Studies in Sculpture from the University of Toledo and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and printmaking from Siena Heights College (University), Adrian, Michigan. Ken has been making sculpture since 1978 out of a former car dealership now turned studio in Blissfield, Michigan. From this facility, he and his assistants also operate Flatlanders Sculpture Supply & Art Galleries and the Midwest Sculpture Initiative. Ken is well versed in bronze casting and metal fabrication but prefers stone carving.
The major focus of Ken’s work since 1997 has been on large-scale public sculpture with commissions such as Reclamation Archway for Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Detroit, the Peace Arch for the City of Toledo in honor of the veterans of the Vietnam War, the Korean War Memorial in Toledo, OH, the Centennial Arch in Sylvania, OH and the Community Arch in Canton, MI. Other large commissions include works at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI, Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, OH, Children’s Park in Toledo, OH, Copley Chapel at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, Corpus Christi University Parish in Toledo, OH, the LCVA Millennium Project in Adrian, MI, St. Patrick of Bryan, OH, Siena Heights University and the Dominican Motherhouse, both in Adrian, MI, the Ancient Order of Hibernian’s memorial to the Irish Potato Famine, the Port St. Lucie Arch at Florida Atlantic University, Port St. Lucie, FL and the Alumni Plaza, Corpus Christi University Parish, Toledo, OH, Sylvania, OH, Alma, MI, Jackson, MI, Bonita Springs, FL, Saline, MI, Bowling Green State University and Jackson College in Jackson, MI. Most recently, Ken completed the Centennial Mall Sculpture Project at his alma mater to celebrate the universities’ anniversary. All told, he has completed well over 70 large-scale public sculptures.
In addition to making large sculpture, Ken enjoys doing smaller scale work for gallery exhibitions. He has twenty-nine one-person shows and numerous group exhibitions and many awards to his credit.