08 | Blue Tree

Sculpture  |  Ray Katz  |  Pontiac, MI

About This Installation

My sculptures allude to an evolutionary process that we all commonly share in the human experience. The active forms that are brought together represent the flux of life, and embrace transformative concepts such as evolution, metamorphosis and transcendence. These ideas and concepts are what separate my work from the historical and industrial influences from which I draw my connections.

In my pursuit of artistic expression, sculpture has always been my primary concern. I have worked in many mediums but metal has remained my passion and best suited for my work because of its strength, malleability and inherent artistic beauty. My sculptures vary in scale from small pedestal work to life size or larger interactive compositions. My sculptures created over the last fifteen years are conducive for outdoor Installations and Public Sites. They have been built for specific public exhibitions or with outdoor exhibitions and commissions in mind. Sometimes you can walk underneath them or they can bridge a space. They often have open, transparent areas, in contrast to solid forms. They are poly formed as opposed to monolithic. I have developed the physical resources to construct my sculptures in my own studio. My creative process requires organizing separate parts into a whole. Initially much of this activity is spontaneous, both in large and small scale work. The elements are all fabricated individually then assembled by welding and bolting. The act of assembly and disassembly contribute to the ease of construction and installation and add to the aura of complexity in the work and is a part of my creative process.

I have successfully installed large scale sculpture temporarily and permanently in public spaces. I have exhibited sculpture publicly and privately throughout the Mid-West, Mid-South and overseas in Paris, France and Tokyo, Japan.

I believe that Public Art transforms the way people look at visual phenomena in their environment. Whatever its form, Public Art attracts attention and effects peoples attitude toward their surroundings and often stimulates an exchange of ideas that can be enriching emotionally, intellectually and aesthetically.

Artist Bio

Ray Katz was born and raised in Detroit Michigan and has a B.S. from Eastern Michigan University and an M.F.A. from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. “My passion for sculpture started during his seminal development as an artist. I am best known for my large-scale metal sculpture but I work successfully in a wide range of media, color, and scale. My sculpture is abstract. The abstract manipulation of form in space to create visual balance, using rhythm, action, and movement, combine to create compositions that convey the implied energy found in my work.

Find On The Trail - Site 08

River Front Pathway

This cement pad is tucked into this lovely park just off of the River Trail across from the riverbank that is adjacent to the Adado Riverfront Park which is a popular festival park making this a highly visible site.

This location is made possible in part by generous contributions from:
Dan & Bonnie Warmels

ArtPath is generously supported by our title sponsors The Rathbun Insurance and Auto-Owners Insurance. With additional support by:

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Michigan Economic Development Corporation & Patronicity