Exhibition info

ARTIST: Patricia Lortie-Sparks

PROJECT TITLE: Oser Rêver/Dare to dream

PROJECT STATEMENT

Description

This project includes two sculptures and a web site, and involves continuous participation from the public.  The two sculptures where created following a collection of answers from the public through the web site www.plssculpture.com.  The questions asked are:

-Sculpture #1:  What are your dreams and aspirations?

-Sculpture #2:  What stops you from acting towards the realization of those dreams or what did you overcome to realize those dreams?

So far, approximates 700 answers have been collected.  This process of surveying members of the public is ongoing through the exhibition of the sculptures.

Sculpture#1: Size: 3’x 3’x 5’.  Weight: 110 pounds, transported in two pieces of respectively 80 pounds (bronze) and 30 pounds (metal ribbons).  A bronze hand, larger than life, palm open upwards in an offering gesture.   Rising from the palm, a “fire” made of forged metal ribbons on which are written (in French and English) people’s dreams/aspirations.

Sculpture#2: Size: 3’ x3’ x 2’.   Weight: 120 pounds transported in two pieces of respectively 90 pounds (bronze) and 30 pounds (glass pieces).  A bronze hand, larger than life, closed and holding a variety of removable glass objects. The objects are a visual representation of what people consider being obstacles standing in the way of their dreams or things they feel they must or have overcome. Life circumstances, habits and fears form the majority of the obstacles.

Artist’s vision

The intention at the core of this project is to communicate at an intimate level with members of the public.

This project first conveys how fundamentally similar we are.  The public shares insights on who they believe to be with the artist who in turn, with the exhibition of the sculptures, presents this intimate knowledge to the viewers.

The two sculptures, honouring the shared insights, become the catalyst to provoke an inner reflection and a desire to share from viewers, thus completing the cycle of communication from the public to the artist, from the artist to the public and again from the public to the artist in an endless loop of human empathy and hope.

Exhibition

The exhibition of this project requires the following:

• To show the two sculptures, a secure and well-lighted indoor space, minimum size of 15’ x 20’ with standard ceiling height.
• To display some of the public responses through a power point presentation and/or wall hangings, appropriate wall space, a projector and access to electricity are needed.
• To collect responses from viewers during the exhibition, a table, a number of clipboards, pencils and a collection box.
• Elevator if the room is located above ground level.