Environmental artist John Grade, who during his fall residency at Emory created the "Piedmont Divide" sculptures on the Quad and in Lullwater Preserve, returns to campus this week to disassemble the art pieces and participate in a series of free, public events.
Catching the sunlight as it sparkles suspended above the Quad and protrudes from the lake, Grade's two-part art installation has inspired conversation and sparked collaboration on campus.
"Art compels us to see the campus--and our environment--in fresh ways," says Rosemary Magee, vice president and secretary of the University and chair of Emory's Creativity and Arts Initiative.
Environmental sculptor John Grade returns to Emory April 11-14 for a series of events surrounding "Piedmont Divide," the two-part art installation on the Quad and in Lullwater Preserve.
In an artist talk on Wednesday, April 11, Grade will discuss the experience of creating "Piedmont Divide" from recycled and biodegradable materials with the help of Emory volunteers, as well as his dynamic body of work spanning decades and continents.
Immediately following the lecture, held at 7 p.m. at the Carlos Museum, will be a special screening of short videos created by artists in response to "Piedmont Divide," in collaboration with "H2O: Film on Water" by Cynthia-Reeves Projects. The videos will be screened on a loop in the lobby of the Visual Arts Building from April 16-20.
In performances April 12, 13 and 14, the Emory Dance Program will present "Questions to ask a river, or a creek," at 7 p.m. on the Quad. The site-specific, live dance performance with Juana Farfan, Tiffany Greenwood, Natasha Nyanin, Dela Sweeney and Jacqueline Woo is choreographed by dance faculty member Lori Teague.
As part of the final dance on Saturday evening, April 14, the Quad sculpture will be disassembled. It will be shipped to the McColl Center for Visual Arts in Charlotte, N.C. where it will next be installed, says Mary Catherine Johnson of Emory's Visual Arts Gallery.
"People may find the take-down fun and fascinating to watch," notes Johnson.
The Lullwater piece will remain up through the fall.
Part of Emory's year-long exploration of water through creative projects, Grade's work at Emory aimed to create conversations between science and art and raise environmental awareness for the Emory community and beyond.