Wildflower Shipping Container Sculpture

“Iron is abundant in blood and ore. Rust, a remnant of transience. Steel is a mutable material, open to reinvention through forging and welding and, if not reworked, then returned to the earth. It reflects the modern body, reactive and vulnerable within our lifetimes; where bronze casts persist from antiquity, Buick Skylarks turn to papier-mâché in the woods. Retooling by Garrett Gilbart showcases sculptural metalwork that brazenly repels common notions of metallic permanence and rigidity by embracing the organic and transmutable qualities of steel. Crafted by hand using contemporary industrial metalworking techniques, these objects appear like timeless relics caught in an alchemical moment of prolonged decay, yet are full of vitality, rooted in traditional craftsmanship and a love of good tools. With a rurally-based practice, Garrett Gilbart works from the colliding worlds of agriculture and contemporary art.” -Curator Julie Hall