The City of Anderson and Anderson Arts Center invite you to take a SculpTour of downtown Anderson to see six new pieces of public art installed along Main Street.
Each year, new sculpted works are selected for public display through the Juried Show presented by Anderson Arts Center. Sculptures are featured for one year providing a unique opportunity for fresh artworks to be exhibited, according to city Economic Development Director Kimberly Spears.
“SculpTour visually reinforces vibrancy initiatives, creativity and a sense of place in our downtown.,” Spears said. “We look forward every year to installing these works of art for the public and visitors to enjoy.”
The new sculptures have been installed to coincide with downtown Anderson’s popular Art on the Town kickoff event on Friday, May 14, from 6-10 p.m. The annual art crawl is part of Anderson Arts Center’s Art on the Town, which includes a juried show at the center and 50 works of art on display at 13 retail and restaurant locations in downtown Anderson May 7-23. The May 14 kickoff event will include artist demonstrations, street performers and a drawing for $500 in cash.
Below is a listing of works in this year’s SculpTour:
ConCon Tower by Matt Amante, 408 North Main Street
Artist’s Statement: “ConConTower is a sculpture that focuses heavily on balance and repetitive form. Each disc in the upper portion has either a concave or convex disc that alternate as they ascend. The title comes from these concave and convex points.”
The Butterfly Enchanter by Aldo Muzzerlli, Main Street between E. Whitner and E. Earle Streets
Artist’s Statement: “The issues that I choose are very optimistic and are almost always related to freedom, quality, the search for changes, and the way to transform negatives into positives. In my artistic work, the theme of butterflies is very frequent, so much so that in the country where I was born, I am still known as “the painter of butterflies.” Here, the figure of a child (representing youth) is shown with the cocoon of a butterfly, surrounded by many fully-grown butterflies. Youth, like a cocoon, carries with it all that potential energy necessary for change: the desire to fight, to transform, to face, to fly, to move forward. This piece is inspired by my sculpture “The Big Cocoon” which is currently placed in the Mauldin Cultural Center.”
Mariposa by Matt Amante, Main at Benson Street on the Courthouse lawn
Artist’s Statement: “This sculpture began really heavily rooted in elements and principles of design such as Balance, Form and Emphasis. As the piece came together, my wife and son came out into the studio to see a few projects I was working on. My wife commented that this form reminded her of a butterfly. We try to teach my son phrases in more than one language when we can, and ‘mariposa’ is Spanish for butterfly. This piece reminds me of that conversation every time I see it and that is where the title came from.”
The Memorial by Bob Doster, South Main at River Street in front of Anderson Municipal Business Center
Artist’s Statement: “A Memorial from 2014 to 2019. This sculpture is a memorial to those lost to senseless violence during the years 2014 – 2019. Each figure represents a lost soul rising to the heavens, and the shadows cast on the ground represent where they are interred here on earth.
Red Baggage by Yelitza Diaz, Main at Church Street
Artist’s Statement: “A red suitcase at first glance can represent for many people a fun tourist trip – a trip where fun and emotions are limitless. For many others it can represent a goodbye, absolute loss and even suffering. There are many reasons that can lead an individual to climb hard, take three red-stained suitcases and pack their lives into them. That is the story of the Venezuelans who leave their land and of many other who, like, these, leave their past behind to achieve a better quality of life.”
Trinity by Bob Doster, 301 North Main Street
Artist’s Statement: “As a sculptor I tend to work in series. If I were a tree in the Trinity series, I would be one branch of the tree. All the other branches represent different ideas. The more ideas, the larger the tree.”
More more information, contact Anderson Arts Center at (864) 222-2787.
