Nouveau

“Art is a line around your thought,” Gustav Klimt.

In the creative journey and experimentation of creating microclimates through architecture, visual perspective, and communal space I wanted to explore the art style that would help give birth to art deco, L’Art Nouveau.  The art nouveau style arose in the late-19th century in Germany and beyond as an escape from eclectic historical styles with evolving elegant designs of natural flowing forms and linear contour designs. Nouveau architecture represents an organic whole using a variety of materials to create a unified interior of the applied arts and visual perspective.

Drawing inspiration from Victor Horta, an architect, and pioneer in the Art Nouveau style, I set out to design a large scale voluminous structure with decorative sweeping arches and archways. These arches are deliberately set upon industrial beam-like stylized columns with organically decorative stainless glass-like backlit walls between the columns. The ceiling draws inspiration from Horta’s Hotel Tassel in Brussels and the Grand Arcade in Cleveland, Ohio. Large geometrical and decorative stain-glass-like windows to provide elegantly peaceful frosted white lighting whether illuminated by the Sun or LED lights. An intent to create an interior space of timeless grandeur, exquisite class, and serenely graceful lighting that will provide a truly unique community experience. 

Accompanying the structure will be additional decorative paneling spanning across the ceiling and archways. There will also be Nouveau stylized seating and tables.

This installation is going to be built over the course of 5-7 weeks, starting in June and completing in mid-July or sooner for display. Utilizing modular design and construction along with CNC manufacturing, will help accelerate the build, simplify assembly, and provide a foundation to teach construction basics and design. The workspace will be open daily. Mostly in the afternoons starting after 4 pm for people to stop by and participate, plus extended open hours on weekends.

People are more than willing to stop by and just hang out! I'll make a pot of coffee!

The design of Nouveau is still open for revisions and modifications! Whether in the beginning or along the way during construction.

In early-mid July with the completion of all the modular sections, final installation assembly with take place at the display site on Detroit, next to CLE Bagel Co. Final display assembly should take 1 day, followed by hooking up of lighting and electrical systems. Nouveau will display for 30+ days. 

In my limited time building large scale art, I always thought about how I could build large scale spatial environments that can foster the communal spirit, inclusive gathering, and spontaneous performance space. It is my belief that the apex of large scale art is the capturing of people to make them gravitate and stop within the space and foster the creation of community and creativity. Whether through conversation, reflection, immersion, or performing to be able to motivate and inspire the community and people at large in Cleveland in helping move the goal post just a little to raise awareness for public art. 

As a life-long creative eccentric and frequent community collaborator, there is a long term vision to establish a creative community collective dedicated to the building and placement of public art in Cleveland and aboard, at events most notably like Burning Man. This community would start in the simplest of forms with projects like Nouveau and grow organically over time. The coalescing of Cleveland's creative talents on large scale public art projects would be an amazing sight to see someday.