Stephanie Rogers
The Anderson Center Sculpture Garden will honor the arrival of an enormous new piece to its grounds in Red Wing. The fabulous two-piece sculpture known as Film Noir Ensemble debuts with an artist talk and reception on Thursday, June 10.
Created by artist Perci Chester, this whopping 22-foot-tall sculpture consists of two abstract figures that appear to be in motion. Both pieces were created from the repurposed steel of an old water tower, and painted with their own bright and unique hues. Due to its bright pink and lime green colors, the sculpture has been an eye-catching spot in the garden since its installation back in October 2020. “These colors just somehow animated the sculptures in a way that resonated with me, but also because they’re my favorite colors,” says Chester.
With a name inspired by a previous creation named Couple Dancing, Chester drew her inspiration for Film Noir Ensemble from her fascination with relationships. Like many art pieces, the goal was to allow different interpretations depending on how you look at it. Chester says the name is also open to interpretation.
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Built with such massive pieces of metal, Film Noir Ensemble took nearly 15 years to complete. In 2006, Chester began building her sculpture by molding various sheets of metal to create different angles and shapes to form the humanoid figures. “I loved the rivets, which are a big element on the pieces,” says Chester. “They just had a kind of energy that excited me when I began working on them.”
The event comes just a few weeks ahead of the Anderson Center’s 25th anniversary celebration on July 24.
Thursday’s reception at the 15-acre Sculpture Garden, which showcases more than 30 works, begins at 6 p.m. and is free to the public. Refreshments will be served, and face masks are required. For more information, contact the Anderson Center here.
The Anderson Center at Tower View, 163 Tower View Drive, Red Wing
