Great Lakes

“Great Lakes” was created by Michael Magnotta of East Lansing, MI and is here as part of the 2024/2025 Midwest Sculpture Initiative. Made of mild steel/fused glass; 7’ x 3’ x 2’; 300lbs; and is available for purchase for $21,000.

Artist Statement

"As a sculptor, privileged to have my work in the public sphere, I feel a responsibility to engage the viewer and provide a positive visual presence to the community. My journey in the arts began some 35 years ago in photography. Architectural studies broadened my artistic horizons as I learned how the integration of materials in a thoughtful design impacts the environment. In a transition from architecture to sculpture, I found expression in creating art from industrial remnants and cast-offs. With inspiration from the masters of the genre, my work arises from my experiences and things I love - jazz, space, nature, mankind, and beauty in all its manifestations. The Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, beauty in the imperfect and the natural time-worn patina, also resonates in my art. My sculptures typically begin with a trip to the metal yard. There, among the industrial detritus, I gather my palette, much as a painter chooses their paints. From the shapes and textures I rescue, a conversation takes place - a visual conversation - that results in the three dimensional work comprising my sculptures"

Click on the QR code on the left side of the sign by the sculpture for more information from this artist.