Contemporary artist to visit campus

Steven Siegel, an internationally recognized artist, will be welcomed to campus today as an artist-in-residence. Siegel and volunteers will construct a sculpture using recycled materials.

The construction will take place near the Art Building beginning Friday until April 15’s unveiling at 1:30 p.m.

Kortney Niewierski, a coordinator for the event, said a design has already been produced. The beginning of the collaboration will consist of building the framework then adding the newspapers and recycled materials will follow.

Scott Sherer, an assistant professor in the art department, said Siegel’s work fits into the landscape. His work is contemporary, he said, it has conversation — land with man-made resources. Siegel’s work is designed to decompose and evolve over time. The piece should last for about 10 to 20 years, Sherer said.

Niewierski said having the artist-in-residence is in conjunction with the symposium for the 35th anniversary of Robert Smithson’s Partially Buried Woodshed.

Smithson, an artist-in-residence in 1970, along with other Kent State students rented a backhoe and piled 20 cartloads of dirt on an abandoned woodshed until the center beam cracked, according to an essay by Dorothy Shinn. Smithson then named the work of art and gave it to the university with the encouragement to allow it to decay naturally.

During the winter of 1984, the remains of the Partially Buried Woodshed disappeared.

Niewierski said Smithson’s work has history, and this project is being done under the same premise.

Volunteers for the project are still being accepted.

Niewierski said, “Even if you are just walking by and only have a half-an-hour to pitch in and help, that is appreciated.”

For more information contact Niewierski at [email protected] or Sherer at [email protected] or by phone at (330) 672-4058.

Contact School of Art reporter Jennifer Zemanek at [email protected].