John T Unger Artist's Portfolio

Gates, fences + Trellises

Blue Bottle Fence. 2006. Steel, glass. Dimensions variable More info on bottle fences here.
The gates below are largely created from various recycled elements… If you'd like to talk about a custom fence or gate project, drop me a line.
Fruited Vine Garden Screen, 2003: steel, copper, 45" x 24" x 1.5" Private Collection	Art Nouveau Gate, 2003: steel, copper, 68.5" x 38.5" x 3" Availlable	MacIntosh  Screen, 2003: steel, 48" x 36" x 2" Availlable
Devil in the Jungle Gate, 1998 steel 48" H x 42" W x 2" D Commission 2025 S. Halsted, Chicago	Devil in the Jungle Gate, 1998 steel 48" H x 42" W x 2" D Commission 2025 S. Halsted, Chicago	Legba Gate, 1998 steel 48" H x 42" W x 2" D Commission 2025 S. Halsted, Chicago
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Tags: art, modernist, design, modern design, fence, fun, funky, garden, gate, iron work, metal, steel, yard

Frank Lloyd Wright Styled Fence in Steel, Slate, Copper + Glass

Frank Lloyd Wright Inspired Fence, 2004 steel, slate, durock, vitreous glass, copper. 48" H x 48" W x 1.5" D (per section) Commission
The floral pattern in these fences was designed to complement clerestory windows overlooking the courtyard where they are installed. Incorporating natural slate, iridescent glass mosaic tile and copper, this project is the culmination of techniques I have been developing over the past few years. Although the original plans called for the sections to be painted black, the clients chose a rust finish in order to integrate more naturally with the landscape.
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Tags: art, modernist, design, modern design, fence, fun, funky, garden, gate, iron work, metal, steel, yard

City Gates, 4022 N. Sheridan Road Chicago

City Gates, 2002 Steel. 96" H x 96" W x 2" D Commission
City Gates, commissioned by Bob Racky for his offices at 4022 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, features two pairs of gates based on maps of the Chicago area. The south gates show Riverside, IL and feature urban planning by Frederic Law Olmstead in the lower left corner. It's not on every project that an ironworker gets to “quote” the designer of Central Park! The north gates are based on Des Plaines, IL and contain the only obvious clue to the design source...a railroad running through the upper right corner.
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Tags: art, design, fence, modern, gate, iron work, metal, steel

A Love Story: Narrative Fence in Steel, Glass, Copper and Brass

Acrobat Fence, 2002 Steel, Durock, porcelain, paint. 48" H x 120" W x 2" D Commission.
Having seen pictures of my Acrobat Fence, my friends Howie and JoAnn approached me to design four sections of fence to enclose a round garden at their Evanston, Illinois residence. Together, they scripted a narrative telling the story of their lives together in four acts: meeting and falling in love; traveling Asia; their first child, Gabriel; and their second child, Julian. This project is a  great example of artist/client collaboration. Through coversations and stories JoAnn told me, I was able to get a good feel for the personality and expression of each member of the family. Gabriel loves snakes, so in his panel, the family goes for a ride on a snake. Julian is really into math, so I portrayed him juggling numbers while the rest of the family plays or looks on. Each character is portrayed  using a different color glass: Howie is blue, JoAnn is green, Gabriel is red and Julian, yellow. The inside of the fence was done in copper instead of mosaic to keep the widths of the heads proportionate. This constraint actually turned out to be a good thing, because Howie prefers the copper and JoAnn loves the glass mosaic.
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Tags: art, design, fence, fun, funky, garden, gate, iron work, metal, steel, yard

Scrap Iron Fence 2208 S. Halsted Chicago, IL

Scrap Fence,  2208 S. Halsted, 2002 steel, cast iron. 83" H x 284" W x 6" D Collaboration with Kenneth Morrison Commission. A collaboration with kenneth Morrison. He originated the concept and sketched a rough layout for overall project. I designed and fabricated indivdual panels. The choice of which panels went together was his. It was a little like an enormous steel version of the exquisite corpse game played by the Surrealists...in which players take turns adding to a drawing without seeing the parts drawn by the last player.
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Tags: art, design, fence, funky, garden, gate, iron work, metal, outdoor, recycled, steel, yard

Steel + Mosaic Fence with Tumbling Acrobats

Acrobat Fence, 2002 steel, Durock, porcelain, paint. 48" H x 120" W x 2" D Commission
These graceful figures suggest both the motion of their dance and the music that moves them. The obvious joy of the figures is engaging— but their simplicity is what really captivates us. We can easily see ourselves, someone we know, or the person we might like to be in this dance. The simplicity of these figures allows them to fit nearly any story or culture. Equally flexible, the materials are suitable for creating functional work such as fences, railings and furniture or more decorative projects such as relief murals. Check out the wonderful garden fence I made for Howard Hast & JoAnne Olsen— telling the story of their life together through a series of figures. If you're interested in commissioning a unique piece to express your own story or ideas, please contact me.
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Tags: art, design, fence, fun, funky, garden, gate, iron work, metal, steel, yard