Temporary Art Sculpture Installed on West Ashley Greenway
The Charleston Parks Conservancy is bringing public art to the West Ashley Greenway with a temporary art installation by Georgia artist Mike Wsol. The Art Sculpture was installed on May 8th near the St. Andrew’s School of Math and Science between Campbell Drive and the West Ashley Greenway.
The Conservancy awarded Wsol with an exhibition prize at ArtFields in May 2018. ArtFields is an annual art exhibit and competition in Lake City, S.C., showcasing the work of artists around the Southeast. Over the last year, Wsol has been planning and designing his sculpture for the West Ashley Greenway.
Titled “Under Glass,” Wsol said the sculpture was “designed with the natural sciences and spirituality in mind. Its form divided into two chambers separates the viewer below from the natural light entering and reflecting within the upper chamber. Experiencing ‘Under Glass’ highlights the separation of the viewer’s physical body from the passing light nature provides.”
The sculpture is made from two 325-gallon scrap propane tanks bolted to an X-shaped foundation which are buried underground and covered with sod, soil, and surrounding flowers. The installation will be on display until October of 2019.
Wsol’s recent creative work has taken the form of large experiential, interactive public sculpture, prints, and drawings. His work has been exhibited in New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, and Miami, among other cities. Wsol has also been the recipient of grants and awards from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, Indiana University, and the Georgia State University Center for Collaborative and International Arts to name a few. He earned a master of architecture from The University of Virginia, a master of fine art in sculpture from The University of Georgia, a master of arts in sculpture and a bachelor of arts in sculpture from Eastern Illinois University.
The Art in the Parks program was launched in 2017, an effort to encourage temporary public art displays in Charleston city parks through collaborations with artists and arts organizations, including Redux Contemporary Art Center, City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and ArtFields. The first art installation was in Hampton Park last year.
In 2017, The Conservancy received a $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for a planning and public engagement process to encourage creative placemaking along the West Ashley Greenway and Bikeway. The site of Wsol’s installation was identified in the plan as a location for public art that engages the community and encourages social interaction.
“This installation is the first of many public art projects we’ll bring to West Ashley,” said Harry Lesesne, executive director of the Charleston Parks Conservancy. “As we work on the overall master plan for revitalizing the West Ashley Greenway and Bikeway, public art and arts programming will play an important role in how we reshape this public space and encourage resident use and engagement.”
This project was funded in part by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Program through their joint administration of the Lowcountry Quarterly Arts Grant Program and the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of SC.