Grove Place has an outstanding collection of public art. Click on a photo to
see a larger image. Use your browser's back button to return to this page.
The
Elders. Sitting in a grove of trees and peering over a brick wall on Selden Street, are the Elders...
ten foot tall clay creatures by Brockport artist Bill Stewart. These pieces were created as part of the 1989 series which resulted in the majestic five part cluster called “The Council” installed at the Monroe County International Airport. The pieces are both futuristic and ancient, primitive and sophisticated, and beg us to examine modern man’s relationship to his world.
The
Josephine Baker Bench sits at the corner of Gibbs and University. The piece
is the work of Paul Knoblauch who graduated from R.I.T. and works full time for
Albert Paley. It is painted steel, fabricated and forged, with teak slat seat,
and is named for the glamorous African-American entertainer/show girl who became
the toast of Paris during the 40's and 50's. The bench is rich and sensuous with
just a hint of glitz.
The
Bette Midler Bench is a Paul Knoblauch piece and sits on the West side of
Gibbs Street. It is forged (steel bent and formed with heat), painted, with a
teak slat seat. The title comes from Midler's early showgirl days when she often
came on-stage in outrageous costumes including that of a mermaid. (Fish
underneath the bench hold up the ocean waves and seaweed arms.) It's purely fun.
Gentle
Woman is raised copper. The rough outline was cut from flat sheet, turned
upside down on a bed (usually sand) and hammered until the relief comes into
shape. Leonard Urso (the creator) holds a Master's Degree in Sculpture and is
head of the metal department at R.I.T. The piece is hung from the wall at 13
Selden. In spite of its name, Leonard's understated figures have a decidedly
cobra shape to them. You can draw your own conclusions.
Seventh
Spirit, the small bronze angel by Dexter Benedict, is installed in front of
164 Gibbs Street. Dexter operates a foundry near Penn Yan where he does castings
regularly for other artists as well as his own work (one of the few bronze
foundries in Upstate). This beautiful little statue gets its name from
Shakespeare's description of the seven stages of man, the seventh stage when man
has "become lean, spectacles on nose and pouch on side - his big manly
voice turning again toward childish treble, pipes and whistles in his
sound." Through a bequest from Madge Harle, a former resident, we are able
to purchase this piece for Grove Place.
Dancers
stands at the back of the intimate interior courtyard of 10 Selden Street. north
side of Selden Street. Created by Peter Macon, this sculpture was purchased by
the neighbors and installed in 1989, one of the first public sculptures in
Grove Place. This piece was laser cut from a flat sheet of CorTen steel, then
bent into Its lyrical shape.
Mask
is one of two pieces in the neighborhood by famed Brockport artist, Bill
Stewart. It's made of terra cotta with expressionistic dashes of glaze color.
Water
Dance II on Gibbs Street between Townhouse and Eastman Dorm, was created by
John Nihart. John has a Masters Degree in Sculpture from the University of
Buffalo and works full time as a trade show designer. The piece is fabricated
steel (cut from flat sheets and welded) and painted. Its title comes from the
designs that appear from "drawing with a stick on water" and the round
"head" looks like a refracted image, half submerged and distorted from
water.
Fun
Art Benches. The Grove Place neighbors have fallen in love with Paul
Knoblauch's art benches and installed two more in 1996. One can be found on
Selden Street in front of the Elders and the other is located on Windsor Street
near Selden Street.
The
Lawn Mower Trellis may be covered by growing Morning Glories during the
summer. The piece is installed near the southeast corner of Selden Street &
Windsor. It is the work of Peter Keenan and is pure whimsy constructed from
found objects.
Photographs by Gloria Marie Weyerts.
