Michael Grothusen
Shield, with Copper Drain Umbilical, 2024
Hydrostone
26" x 22" x 5"

Artist Statement

A shield is the membrane between interior and exterior. The current body of work, Shields, juxtaposes two basic ideas that are at odds with one another. Shields are an extension and surrogate of the body, a type of body armor or exoskeleton that offer protection during conflict, but behind them is a vulnerable and sentient body.

The shield protects and the umbilical cord that was our original source of life. My work is an investigative process that is rooted in a tactile connection to material. It is diverse in terms of scale, scope, and content.

Artist Bio

Michael Grothusen is a sculptor based in Philadelphia.

His works have been exhibited regionally and nationally including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia International Airport, Eastern State Penitentiary, the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts. He has completed two permanent public commissions for the City of Philadelphia. One person exhibitions include Carnegie Melon University, Drexel University, Bucks County Community College (with Buy Shaver), and Dickinson College.

He has received grants and fellowships from the Pew Fellowships in the Arts, the Pollock/Krasner Foundation and three Individual Artist's Grants from the Pennsylvania State Council on the Arts. He received a BFA in sculpture from the University of Kansas in 1988 and an MFA from Tyler School of Art in 1991. He was a professor of sculpture at the University of the Arts from 1996 until 2024 and is currently on the faculty at Tyler School of Art, Moore College of Art and Design, and Lehigh University.

michaelgrothusen.com

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