Twin Falls Public Art Tour

Millennium Basalt Rock & Harness

Each of my public art works integrates form, space, and story into a narrative journey. I create sculptural forms and spaces that are sometimes intimate, sometimes monumental, each of which becomes a vehicle for the stories and histories of the theme of the work. Each work is specifically and meticulously crafted for its site and theme: the materials and the way I use them vary with each project. Each form and public space I create embodies the theme and guides the visitor through the work.

My belief in the power of stories to remind, educate, and inspire is at the core of my work. I begin by working with the local students and community members to gather the public histories and personal stories that are specific to the project. I have an established curriculum for this aspect that I tailor to each project. Whether the theme of the work is the daily life of a soldier on the Korean front, or the first 100 years of a town’s life, the final texts are chosen for their ability to vividly capture and explore the theme from a variety of points of view: they inform; they are often personal and emotionally moving; they can be humorous or intellectually provocative, poetic or a reflection of everyday life.

I often underscore the meanings of the text by using evocative objects which encourage the visitor to touch: a draped, life-size firefighter’s coat and hat in bronze; a life-size cast metal plow used by the first settlers to a region; a bronzed, pocket-sized prayer book carried by an American prisoner of war in Korea. The resulting works are layered and interactive: visitors’ attention is alternately focused on text, on form and on space, each interaction furthering the sense of journey. The works are multi-sensory, involving visual and intellectual curiosity, touch, and movement. They capture the particular feel, texture, and meanings of the theme. They invite and encourage further visits. http://tedclausensculpture.com/

Artists:

• Ted Clausen

Collection:
Twin Falls Public Art Tour

Note:
Intersection Main & Shoshone

Year: 2000

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