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Get into the swing of the willow trees in Winnemac Park

Art, Chicago, Get into the swing of 1 minute of reading
A vertical, close-up photograph of a miniature, handmade art installation hanging from a tree branch in a sunlit park. The image is captured through a circular glass lens or prism, creating a soft, blurred vignette around the edges that centers the focus on a small wire figure. The figure is minimalist, crafted from single strands of copper-colored wire. It sits on a swing made of a thick, dark wooden stick found on-site, which is suspended by two thin white strings tied to a branch above. The wire person is depicted in a relaxed posture: its circular head is tilted slightly upward, its thin wire arms reach out to hold the string supports, and its legs are bent at the knees, dangling peacefully over the edge of the wooden seat. The background, seen through the weeping branches of a willow tree, reveals a lush green field and a distant baseball diamond under a bright, clear sky. The sunlight filters through the willow leaves, casting a warm, dappled glow over the wire figure and the grass below. The overall composition emphasizes a sense of scale, playfulness, and quiet observation.

I made this wire figure and put him on a swing in Chicago’s Winnemac Park. This is an art series called “Get into the swing of”. The series is meant to encourage people to enjoy the area where they view the artwork. The person on the swing is looking and enjoying the area. Hopefully, the viewer will enjoy the view too. And perhaps get some inspiration to have some fun.

When making art in this series, I bring the string and wire. The seat of the swing is always constructed on-site using materials found at the site. This brings more of the specific location into the artwork. Plus, I hand-make the figure on the site, so I, the artist, sit down and enjoy that particular spot. I’m not merely dropping off the artwork. I’m making it right on the spot.

» View more photos from this series taken at Winnemac Park.

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Mark Marich
Mark Marich
6 months ago

You did a great job, Matt! You’re such thee ar-teest(hehehe)! What bewilders me, though, is that I STILL don’t know how 1 gets the string/rope around a tree limb like that? I know it may not be rocket science or magic, but its always been a mystery to me. The little guy on the split rail fence, I get. Just the one(s) around the tree limbs that fascinate me.

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