Client: City of Lenexa

Location: Lenexa, KS, United States

Completion date: 2018

Artwork budget: $180,000

Project Team

Artist

Joe O'Connell

Creative Machines Inc.

Artist

Creative Machines

Creative Machines

Overview

Body Politic is a series of two spherical sculptures measuring at 7ft and 5ft in diameter and set slightly into the landscape of the Lenexa Recreation Center in Lenexa, Kansas.

Goals

Because there are two, a relationship is implied. The large and small spheres together evoke a parent and child – or an older and a younger sibling. As people approach the artwork, they will see that the spheres are covered with a series of silhouettes of the human form. Each silhouette is drawn to convey an emotion or attitude toward life. Public spaces are all about looking at the silhouettes of others and judging their feelings, receptivity to contact, their past, their station in life, and what they are currently thinking, and these sculptures reflect that analysis. The sphere’s shape invites people to circle around the artwork to ‘read’ the personality and attitude of each silhouette. People will become more aware of the relationship of the spheres to each other. Each sculpture is equipped with a touch sensor which allows visitors to curate the mood of the pieces by being able to adjust the color of each sculpture.

Process

The curved stainless steel sculptures of Body Politic were water jet cut with intricate silhouette patterns, hammer formed and welded together to create a three-dimensional lantern.