John T Unger Artist's Portfolio

Galaxy No. 3, Kinetic Wind Vane Sculpture

Galaxy No. 3, 2005 recycled steel. 139" H x 133" W x 14" at the base NOTE: effective width/length is a radius of 133" Buy Galaxy No. 3 at ArtBuzz.
Galaxy No. 3 is the first kinetic piece I've done using sleeve bearings instead of pillow blocks. The bearings are inside the tubing that attaches the sculpture to the base, which keeps them out of the weather. The piece spins readily to point into the direction of the wind. It's a slow and graceful motion… I'd kind of like it if there was enough inertia to keep the piece in rotation, but I guess if the wind changes directions often enough (which it does here) you wind up with the same effect. Galaxy No. 3 is still available. You can buy it here. There are some in-progress photos of the construction of the piece here and here. I love the way these abstracts are open to various interpretations. In one glance, you might see stars, planets and moons. In another, perhaps a fish. Yet another look suggests a man riding a boat… the way these different interpretations play off of one another is what really drives the poetic essence of each sculpture, at least for me. I end up with visions of a sailor riding a fish across the sky. The Galaxy Series are Modernist inspired, abstract wind vanes made from recycled steel. The designs feature simple lines and shapes balanced to spin easily in a light breeze.  The  sculptures  disassemble into two pieces (horizontal arm and vertical base) for shipping. Each   is one of a kind and will not be reproduced. The Galaxy Series  was inspired in part by David Smith's sculptures Australia and Royal Bird. They are also an exploration of negative space… The Galaxy pieces are structured around lines and curves, but  depend heavily as well on the open shapes enclosed by the lines.
Alternate view	Detail	Detail	Movie
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, funky, garden, kinetic art, metal, outdoor, windvane, recycled, recycled, yard

Galaxy No. 2, Kinetic Wind Vane Sculpture

Galaxy No. 2, 2004 recycled steel. 82" H x 82" W x 14" D Collection: Kathleen Glynn and Michael Moore
I kinda miss Galaxy No. 2… It was one of the pieces that really captured a part of my heart. On nasty, blustery days, I'd look out the window of the office and watch it just spinning merrily, happy in the wind that I wanted no part of. It was a good reminder that the weather is what you make of it (metaphorically or straight up). The Galaxy Series are Modernist inspired, abstract wind vanes made from recycled steel. The designs feature simple lines and shapes balanced to spin easily in a light breeze.  The  sculptures  disassemble into two pieces (horizontal arm and vertical base) for shipping. Each   is one of a kind and will not be reproduced. The Galaxy Series  was inspired in part by David Smith's sculptures Australia and Royal Bird. They are also an exploration of negative space… The Galaxy pieces are structured around lines and curves, but  depend heavily as well on the open shapes enclosed by the lines.
Installed at the Moore/Glynn residence		At Gallery	Movies of  windvane in motion
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, funky, garden, kinetic art, metal, outdoor, windvane, recycled, recycled, yard

Inquisitive Creature AKA Little Colossus

Inquisitive Creature (Little Colossus), 2005 Steel. 44" H x 50" W x 33.5" D
Purchase Inquisitive Creature for $1,600 ($1,200 plus $400 Fed Ex Freight).
Inquisitive Creature started out as a base  for Galaxy No. 3 but soon made it clear that it wanted to be it's own sculpture. There are some photos on the studio blog from before it was painted that show some of the cool tricks it can do with light and shadow. This is one of the pieces that has really taught me a lot about utilizing the space around a sculpture to extend the experience. Think of it kind of like audience participation… you have a show going on, invite the viewer to add their voice and come up with something deeper and richer as a result. The same kind of thing can be done by designing artwork that uses light, shadow, sound or other elements of the environment to reveal different things at different times. I also love the way it strikes the attitude of a spunky bulldog throwing it's chest out. My cat Mojo takes exactly that pose when she's deeply annoyed with me… while it was at the studio, I often jumped when I caught it in the corner of my eye because I thought it was a living creature that had snuck up on me! You might also like these adorable photos of children playing with the sculpture at the 2005 Alden Art Fair.
Inquisitive Creature Steel 44" H x 50" W x 33.5" D	Inquisitive Creature Steel 44" H x 50" W x 33.5" D	Inquisitive Creature Steel 44" H x 50" W x 33.5" D
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, garden, sculpture

The Dancers— Steel + Copper Line Drawing Sculptures

Dancing the Crane, 2004 Steel. 61"  x 33" x 8" Custom Order Item
The Dancer Sculptures come in two styles: the steel and copper version  shown here and a  powder coat enamel version. In creating these sculptures, I try to capture the essential gesture so precisely that the mind completes the movement—making a still image appear to be in motion. My goal is to create engaging characters which anyone can relate to and enjoy. 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 are interested in commissioning a unique piece to express your own story or ideas, please contact me.
Oh Beautiful Life! Steel. 69.5"  x 30" x 8" Custom Order	Dancing the Crane Steel. 61"  x 33" x 8" Custom Order	The Flirt Steel. 52.5"  x 18.5" x 8" Custom Order	Whoa Nelly! Steel. 50.5"  x 29" x 8" Custom Order
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The Flying Game Steel, copper. 40"  x 22" x 21" Private Collection
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Tags: art, dancer, fun, funky, garden, home, iron work, metal, outdoor, pop culture, dance, sculpture, yard

The Dancers— Dynamic Line Drawings in Steel

Woo Hoo! Dancer Sculpture, 2006. Steel. 56.5"  x 27" x 8" Custom Order Item
The Dancer Sculptures come in two styles: the powder coat enamel version shown here and a  steel and copper version. In creating these sculptures, I try to capture the essential gesture so precisely that the mind completes the movement—making a still image appear to be in motion. My goal is to create engaging characters which anyone can relate to and enjoy. 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. I've also used similar figures in a Tumbling Acrobat Fence and in Custom Furniture. If you are interested in commissioning a unique piece to express your own story or ideas, please contact me.
Oh Beautiful Life! Steel. 69.5"  x 30" x 8" Custom Order Item	Dancing the Crane Steel 61"  x 33" x 8" Custom Order Item	The Flirt Steel 52.5"  x 18.5" x 8" Custom Order Item	Whoa Nelly! Steel. 50.5"  x 29" x 8" Custom Order Item
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Tags: art, dancer, fun, funky, garden, home, iron work, metal, outdoor, pop culture, dance, sculpture, yard

Steel Grates in Style

Various Grates, Grilles, etc. 2000-6. Steel. Dimensions variable.
The first picture below is a commission I did for Café Jumping Bean based on a logo created by Guillermo Delgado. The rest are created from various recycled elements… If you'd like to talk about a custom project for doors or windows, drop me a line.
Security Grate, Café Jumping Bean, 1999: steel, 14" H x 11" W x 1" D Commission	Window Grille, 2005: steel, 20.75" H x 20" W x .25" D Available
Abstract Grate, 2006: steel, 12" H x 14" W x 2" D Available	Abstract Grate, 2006: steel, 12" H x 14" W x 2" D Available
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Tags: art, modernist, design, modern design, fence, fun, funky, garden, gate, iron work, metal, steel, yard

Modern Security Grates in Steel + Copper

Keeping out of the Jones', 2004 steel, copper. dimensions variable Commission
Elise Jones wanted burglar bars for her ground floor windows, but she didn't want to feel like she was in prison when she looked through them. These steel and copper grilles will definitely keep people out—but they do seem to attract admiring stares. When I returned to the site to finish installation, I met an architect who requested that I tender his apologize to the Jones family…he had been standing there looking at the grates for ten or fifteen minutes before he realized that he was also inadvertently staring into someone's window.
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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