Art Around Town

Exploring Brighton’s Sculpture: 'Bring Your Chalk and Draw on Me'

Patch continues its tour of Brighton’s art with sculpture by Adnan Charara.

On last week’s tour of Brighton’s public art, we viewed two semi-abstract figurative bronzes created by Lansing-based artist Jeffrey Bohl. This week, we’re taking in "Bring Your Chalk and Draw on Me," a piece created by artist Adnan Charara. Charara spent his childhood in Lebanon and Sierra Leone. Passionate about art, Charara came to the U.S. to study architecture and urban planning. After spending a decade working for the state of Massachusetts, Charara decided to pursue his creative impulse full time. He currently lives and makes art in Dearborn, a city that he is happy to call home. Located just outside the Imagination Station, "Bring Your Chalk and Draw on Me" is one of the most visited works in the Brighton Biennial Sculpture Exhibit…

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Art Around Town

Exploring Brighton’s Sculpture: 'Welcome' and 'Vested with Authority'

Patch continues its tour of Brighton’s art with sculpture by Mason artist Jeffrey Bohl.

Last week, we looked at three sculptures whose time in the Brighton Biennial is up. The BACC’s contracts with James Lawton (Landscape Sunset), Todd Erickson (American Beauty), and Robert Sestock (I-275) expire at the end of May. Their work will be replaced by three new sculptures. The artists and titles of the new works haven’t been announced. This week, on our tour of Brighton’s public art, we’re taking in two works by Jeffrey Bohl. All of Bohl’s works can be categorized as semi-abstract figurative bronzes. Bohl’s creative process begins with sheets of wax. He breaks, scratches, melts, and sculpts the wax until it takes on an interesting shape. From these shapes, Bohl creates impressions of the human form. After making molds of the forms…

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Exploring Brighton’s Sculpture: Landscape Sunset, American Beauty and I-275

Patch continues its tour of Brighton’s art with sculpture by Jim Lawton, Todd Erickson, and Robert Sestock.

Last week, our tour of Brighton’s public art took us to the corner of N. First St. and Cedar St. in downtown Brighton. Stopping just outside Lynn’s Café, we took a quick look at The Bird. One of the most appreciated and recognizable pieces in the Brighton Biennial Sculpture Exhibit, The Bird was created by architect and Brighton resident Piet Lindhout. This week, we’re doing something a little different. In a few weeks, three of Brighton Biennial’s current works will be removed from display due to expired contracts. It’s those three sculptures that are our focus today. Landscape Sunset by James Lawton Perhaps the boldest sculpture of the Brighton Biennial bunch, Landscape Sunset is large, heavy-looking, and bright orange. Its location in …

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Art Around Town

Exploring Brighton’s Sculpture: 'The Bird'

Patch continues its tour of Brighton’s art with sculpture by Piet Lindhout.

Last week, on our tour of Brighton’s public art, we paused on the grounds of City Hall to view Dancer Two, a work by Southfield-based sculptor John Piet. This week, we’re stopping outside Lynn’s Café for a look at The Bird, a sculpture created by architect and Brighton resident Piet Lindhout. Lindhout, who helped choose the locations for the Brighton Biennial sculptures, has one other piece on display in the exhibit. He donated Hot Landing, a three-piece steel sculpture that hovers above Mill Pond, to the city in 2009. The Bird was installed in Brighton in 2006 as part of the original Brighton Biennial Sculpture Exhibit. True to its title, the sheet metal sculpture features a simple geometric bird. A slightly curved, elongated pedestal …

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Art Around Town

Exploring Brighton’s Sculpture: 'Dancer Two'

Patch continues its tour of Brighton’s art with a sculpture by John Piet.

Last week, we took a look at Kegham Tazian’s Elegant Lady, a bronze bust that marks the entrance to Brighton City Hall. This week, we’re focusing on Dancer Two, a piece that stands on the grounds of Brighton City Hall, just around the corner from Elegant Lady. Dancer Two was installed in 2009 as part of the second Brighton Biennial. Angular, dark and severe, its composition seems to contradict its title. But, as the sculpture’s artist explained, Dancer Two represents a dancer’s focus and precision of movement. John Piet III, a Southfield-based artist whose work has garnered national and international attention, said he conceived the piece while he was studying art at Wayne State University. While completing his master’s degree at WSU, he …

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Exploring Brighton's Sculpture: 'Spiral the Gate'

Patch continues its tour of Brighton's art with a sculpture by Ray Katz.

Last week on our tour of Brighton's public art, we took in two literary-themed sculptures created by former furniture maker Steve Cannaert. This week, we'll be looking at Spiral the Gate, one of the priciest pieces in the Brighton Biennial Sculpture Exhibit. Located in the pocket park just off Main Street near Grand River Avenue, Spiral the Gate is visible to pedestrians and drivers alike. One of the largest works in the exhibit, the 10-foot by 9-foot by 4-foot welded and fabricated aluminum sculpture consists of a series of horizontal, vertical and diagonal beams. A single spiral weaves among the beams, interrupting the sculpture's sharp angles and straight lines. In his artist statement, sculptor Ray Katz said Spiral the Gate “…

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