jacket, directs assembly of “Kinetic Vision,” a project
designed and built by H-F art students.
(Provided photo)
“Kinetic Vision,” the newest addition to downtown Flossmoor’s growing public art scene, is seven feet tall. It is aqua-colored and has four arms, of varying lengths, that are designed to move in different directions.
The new sculpture, created by Homewood-Flossmoor High School art students, was designed as something of an allegory about the growth taking place between their freshman and senior years. They installed it this week in front of Flossmoor Public Library.
A dedication ceremony is planned for 4 p.m. May 24 at the library.
Greg Petecki, who teaches H-F’s 3D Studio Art class, said the creation of “Kinetic Vision” was a collaborative effort involving 14 students, five teachers and hundreds of hours of “planning, preparing, fabricating and just organizing the countless moving parts necessary to see the project through to completion.”
It took three months to design, build and install the sculpture. Petecki said. it was an invaluable experience for students, who learned a number of real-life skills during the construction process.
“Modern students have access to so much information via technology but many lack the ability and experience to know what to do with it,” he said “Experiences like this project help students see the importance of how everything interacts: physics of balance, applicable math, working within budgets, organizing calendars and just learning new skills like working with power tools.”
Physics teacher Jim Boswell and Brian Dvorkin, who formerly taught the subject but is now in H-F’s computer services, helped students with math concepts and gave them a lesson in balance. Mark Pendergrass, H-F’s Applied Academics shop teacher, and welding instructor Ben May were also instrumental in putting together the steel structure, Petecki said.
It took one day to install the sculpture. That took place on Tuesday. However, it took about a week to prepare for the installation. Petecki said the five pieces of the sculpture work together as planned but, throughout the fabrication, students and teachers were surprised that all the components were so heavy.
“Kinetic Vision” will be at the library for three years. It replaces a previous student sculpture, “Bell Tower,” which was moved to the H-F campus and will be installed in front of the North Building. Both sculptures were financed through a partnership with the Flossmoor Public Art Commission, a branch of village government.
Petecki said he looks forward to future collaboration through that partnership.
“This is our second time working with the art commission and it has been a wonderful collaboration between the community and the high school,” he said. “Every three years this process gives my students the opportunity to experience first-hand what it takes to be a professional artist, from taking an idea and seeing it through to fruition.”