Written by Ashton Melton. Photo by Ashton Melton.
Lacoste, a medieval village filled with the beauty of lavender fields and old stone medieval houses, has allowed students to find inspiration in the other artist who came before. Such as Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso all studied in Lacoste to make some of their most famous pieces. In celebration of this beautiful place, SCAD created Promenade de Sculptures to celebrate the school’s twenty years of creativity. Promenade de Sculptures features ten permanent installations by various artists encapsulating eccentric work that can not be seen anywhere else. These featured installations include….
Justin W. Archer | b. 1989, Atlanta, Georgia, USA | SCAD sculpture professor
En Plein Air, 2022, Bronze
Justin W. Archer utilized inspiration from the Greek Sculpture “The Winged Victory of Samothrace” to showcase topics of the euphony of beauty and permanence, strength, and impermanence. “En Plein Air” stands 7 feet tall and has a bronze cast that allows us to dive into Archer’s exploration through his work.
Ashley Benton | b. 1968, Atlanta, Georgia, USA | B.F.A., painting, 1990
When they asked her, “why”?” “Odie thought about it and replied, “why not?” and the lock on her heart opened, 2022, Bronze
Ashley Benton found inspiration for this bronze sculpture through her experience as the 2019 SCAD Alumni Atelier ambassador while studying in Lacoste. During this study, Benton began to create a series that dealt with the combination of human and animal forms.
Milan Bhullar | b. 1990, Pune, India | M.F.A. furniture design
Transfiguration, 2022, Stainless Steel
Milan Bhullar’s five stainless steel sculptures utilize colors and reflection to transcend the viewer’s perspective of what they are seeing. Viewers are encapsulated through the reflection, allowing the beautiful landscapes of Lacoste to be present.
Bradley L. Bowers | b. 1986, Dallas, Texas, USA | M.A., furniture design, 2012; B.F.A., industrial design
Ooma, 2022, 3D-printed bioplastic
Bradley L. Bowers utilized the contemporary age and took back what the word modern means. Creating cutting-edge 3D work that focuses on geometrics that transcends the viewer into a state of relaxation as they look upon the Luberon Valley.
Carla Contreras | b. 1991, Quito, Ecuador | M.F.A., painting, 2020
Harmonie, 2022, Steel and automotive paint
Carla Contreras, took inspiration from the Chattahoochee Rivers ecosystems to create Harmonie. The structure itself creates not only just curiosity but an overall fascination with the piece. The bright colors and patterns draw the viewer into each part of the piece.
Kendall Glover | b. 1987, Richmond, Virginia, USA | B.F.A., fibers, 2009
Tectonic Arch, 2022, Powder-coated steel and Corten steel
Kendall Glover, sculpture Tectonic Arch, emphasizes her appreciation and fascination with the form of an arch. The work utilizes the arch to showcase imagery of positive and negative space through the layering of color and shape.
Andrew Herzog | b. 1990, Coatesville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. | M.A., graphic design, 2013; B.F.A., graphic design, 2012
HERE/ICI, 2022, Semi-polished aluminum
Andrew Herzog’s work allows the viewer to explore the possibilities of seeing different words through the work, depending on where they stand. The piece HERE/ICI takes inspiration from other French street signs and gives street signs a whole new meaning.
Melissa Richardson | b. 2022, Austin, Texas, USA | B.F.A. fashion
Star-Crossed, 2022, Silicon Bronze
Melissa Richardson’s silicon bronze paper airplane represents the 12 different zodiac signs. To symbolize how each individual in some form is connected to the stars, even if they are unaware of this.
Wendy White | b.1971, Deep Water, Connecticut, USA | B.F.A., fibers, 1993
Raincloud, 2022, Aluminum, steel, and automotive paint
A well-known symbol in Wendy White’s work, the rain cloud, represents the transformation at any given moment of someone’s emotional
well-being. White, a rain cloud, is a specific bold yellow, also known as “Curious Yellow,” to symbolize themes of Americana, car culture, and nostalgia for the artist herself.
Justin Zielke | b. 1989, Wichita, Kansas, U.S.A. | M.F.A., animation, 2017
Nuance in Repetition, 2022, Bronze
Justin Zielke explores the in-between of realistic and abstract visuals that represent the human form and experience. Wanting to make the viewer have to analyze what they are seeing and explore their own identity.
Favorite Piece from Promenade de Sculptures
In my exploration of all the different sculptures, I found myself drawn to the Transfiguration made by Milan Bhullar. Upon standing in front of the sculpture, I was encapsulated by the reflection of color that the sculpture created on the landscape around it. It made the work feel futuristic because as I got closer, the reflections would continuously change, as well as what I saw when I looked into the work. Transfiguration gives you a new perspective on how you see the atmosphere around you, which I have never seen before. Transfiguration is an eccentric piece of art that more people need to be aware of.
