ILAN AVERBUCH
10-15 48th Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: 917-660-6774
Email: [email protected]
www.ilanaverbuch.com
Artist Statement
I build sculptures that transform spaces. Familiar images are recycled and reapplied, taking on meaning as symbols or metaphors to tell a story through a sensitive balance of scale, material and mass. I have created numerous landmarks and public sculptures for different kinds of spaces, including university campuses, public parks, technical schools, medical centers, a recreation center, transit stations, a supreme court, and a fire station. In a public place, a sculpture can be a guiding element, marking an entrance, directing attention, or aiding in circulation. At the same time, it communicates ideas and cultivates an emotional connection between the viewer and the space. A public monument can also act as a meeting place for the community, a site for reflection, and a sanctuary from hectic daily life.
My work is a physical intervention in a depicted environment. It creates a place through a symbolic image/object that is open to viewers’ interpretations. Among recurring themes in my work are civilization and its many versions of history, the natural sciences, literary and artistic traditions, dreams and memory, and the inevitable passage of time. I take a site-specific approach with all of my public projects. A recent work “Theater of the Wind” is installed on a grassy field on the shore of the Salt River in Tempe, AZ. It allows for participation with integrated seating on steps cladding the bow of a boat. The boat emerges from a stone picture frame, through which the viewer sees the river, a bridge over it, and the desert in the distance. The work creates a meditative living landscape painting the viewer becomes a part of.
I work in durable and sustainable materials including recycled stone, wood, steel, glass, and copper. Using recycled materials suggests a continuation of life through time, alluding to the past while informing our future.
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ILAN AVERBUCH
10-15 48th Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: 917-660-6774
Email: [email protected]
www.ilanaverbuch.com
Born in Tel Aviv, Israel.
EDUCATION
MFA: 1983-85 Hunter College, New York, NY
BFA: 1979-81 School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
1977-78 Wimbledon School of Art, London, England
SELECTED PUBLIC ART COMMISSIONS
2021 EDGE District, St. Petersburg, FL
2020 Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Nyack NY
Ilan Gal-on Plaza, Sapir Tower, Ramat Gan, Israel
2019 Holzhausen Estate, Nieheim, Germany
2018 Central Washington University, WA
2016 Marina Heights, Tempe, AZ
Florida International University, Miami, FL
2015 Discovery Campus, Tempe, AZ
Downtown Remote Operations Facility, Raleigh, NC
2014 H.H. Ellis Technical High School, Danielson, CT
Topor Sculpture Garden, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel 2013 Fire Station, El Paso, TX
2012 Bellingham Technical College, Bellingham, WA
2011 Fire Station in Public Park, Scottsdale, AZ
2010 Recreation Center in Public Park, Herriman, Salt Lake County, UT 2009 Public Park, Tamarac, FL
Oregon State Data Center, Salem, OR
2008 Sound Transit Light Rail System, Tacoma, WA
Gezer Park, Leawood, KS
Light Rail System, Phoenix, AZ
The New Bridges in Vejle, Denmark
2007 Traffic Circle, funded by the Mercury Corporation, Yehud, Israel 2006 Stapleton Landmark, Stapleton, Denver, CO
Tierra Verde Fire Station #2, Tierra Verde, FL
2004 IT and Engineering Building, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 2003 Bar Ilan University, Israel
2002 The Little Prince Park, Chulon, Israel
2001 Performing Arts Center, Illinois Central College, Peoria, IL 2000 Entrance to town, Lavon Industrial Park, Lavon, Israel 1996 Lobby Interior, Ganapati Inc., Calcutta, India
1995 Arena Project, City of Portland, OR
1989 City of Tel Aviv, Israel
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Ilan Averbuch Resume pg. 2
SELECTED ONE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York: 2017, 2014, 2011, 2008, 2005, 2002, 1999, 1997, 1995, 1993, 1991, 1989.
Omer Open Museum, Israel: 2013-2015.
Gal-On Gallery, Tel-Aviv, Israel: 2012.
Olga Korper Gallery, Toronto, Canada: 2009, 2005, 1998, 1994, 1991, 1988.
Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, New York: 2005.
Galerie Sander, Darmstadt, Germany: 2001.
Künstverein Hürth, Hürth, Germany: 2000.
Cologne Art Fair, Cologne, Germany: 1999.
Galerie Lutz Teutloff, Bielefeld and Cologne, Germany: 1998, 1996, 1993.
Michael Haas Gallery, Berlin, Germany: 1993, 1990, 1987.
The Open Museum, Tefen, Israel: 1997.
Littmann Gallery, Basel, Switzerland: 1994.
Julie M. Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel: 1997, 1993.
Het Apollohuis, Eindhoven, The Netherlands: 1992.
Lavignes-Bastille, Paris, France: 1990.
The Jewish Museum, New York: 1986.
Mabat Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel: 1986.
Daad Galerie, Berlin, Germany: 1986.
Kunstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Germany: 1985.
OK Harris Works of Art, New York: 1987, 1985, 1983, 1981.
List Art Center, Brown University, Providence, RI: 1983.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2019 “Circles,” Nancy Hoffmann Gallery at EXPO Chicago, Chicago, IL 2018 “Sculptors and Their Drawings,” Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York, NY 2017 “Dialogues, Art & Architecture,” Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York, NY 2011 “Nimrod’s Descendants,” The Jerusalem Artists’ House, Jerusalem, Israel 2004 “Museum Opening Exhibition,” Nevada Art Museum, Reno, NV “Indivisible Cities,” Bill Maynes Gallery, New York
2003 “Shivat Zion, Beyond the Principal of Place,” Zman Leomanut, Israel “Givataim Connection,” Israel
“Genetic Expressions: Art After DNA,” Heckscher Museum of Art, New York Grand Opening of the New Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, Nevada 2002 Markers II, Kassel, Germany
2001 DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, Lincoln, Massachusetts. “Hands,” Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Galerie Sander at the Berlin Art Fair, Berlin, Germany
1999 “The Hand,” The Power Plant, Toronto, Canada
“Food for Thought”, New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Summit 1997 “Pier Walk ’97,” Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
1996-97 Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City, New York 1994 Basel Art Fair, Switzerland
“Kunstwert,” Berlin, Germany
1993 “New York Diary: Almost 25 Different Things,” P.S. 1 Museum, Long Island City, NY “Sticks and Stones: 10 Artists Work with Nature,” Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY 1990 “Construction in Process,” Lodz, Poland Historical Museum, Lodz, Poland “A Natural Order,” Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, New York 1989 “Recent Acquisitions,” Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada Socrates Park, Astoria, Queens, New York
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Ilan Averbuch Resume pg. 3
“Recent Acquisitions,” Tel Aviv Museum, Israel
1988 Bronfman Centre, Montreal, Canada
The Brooklyn Museum, New York
1987 “Mythos Berlin,” Anhalter Bahnhof, Berlin, Germany 1985 The Peace Biennale, Hamburg, Germany
1984 “80 Years of Israeli Sculpture,” Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel 1983 Tel Hai '83, Tel Hai Art Center, Israel
SELECTED AWARDS AND GRANTS
2012 Americans for the Arts/PAN (Public Art Network) Year in Review recognition 2005 Americans for the Arts/PAN (Public Art Network) Year in Review recognition 2001 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant
1991 Mid-Atlantic Art Award, NEA regional fellowship
1985-86 D.A.A.D. Award, Berlin, Germany
SELECTED CATALOGUES (*indicates solo catalogues)
*Ilan Averbuch: Thoughts as Drawings. Ilan Averbuch Studio, Long Island City, NY. 2021.
Destination Art, Phaidon Press, London. 2018.
*Ilan Averbuch: Reflections. Omer Open Museum, Israel. Essays: “Resonant Reflections, the Art of Ilan Averbuch,” Rachel Rosenfield Lafo; “Between Heaven and Earth, On Ilan Averbuch’s Works,” Ruthi Ofek. 2013.
*Ilan Averbuch: Public Projects. Ilan Averbuch with an essay by Mark D. Cohen. New York: Charta Books Ltd, 2010.
*Ilan Averbuch: Das Gelobte Land. Kunstverein Hürth, Hürth, Germany. 2000. *Ilan Averbuch, Sculpture and Drawing. The Open Museum, Tefen, Israel. Essays: “Ilan Averbuch: The Intimate Monument,” Carter Ratcliff; “Upon Thy Places and Times,” Dr. Gideon Ofrat. 1997. *Ilan Averbuch Sculpturen Zeichnugen. Galerie Michael Haas, Berlin, and Lutz Teutloff Modern Art, Köln. 1993.
Sticks and Stones, Katonah Museum of Art, New York. 1991.
Israel Contemporary Sculpture: place and mainstream. Hara Museum, Japan. 1991.
Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, NEA, Regional Fellowships. 1991.
Ilan Averbuch. Galerie Michael Haas—Berlin, Nancy Hoffman Gallery—New York, Olga Korper Gallery— Toronto, Lavignes- Bastille—Paris. Essay: “The Monumental Archaeologue: Ilan Averbuch’s Sculpture,” Donald Kuspit. 1990.
A Natural Order, The Hudson River Museum, New York. 1990. 40 From Israel, Contemporary Sculpture and Drawing. Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York. 1988.
Fresh Paint. Tel Aviv Museum and Israel Museum. 1988.
Mythos Berlin Project, Berlin, West Germany. 1987.
*Averbuch. Daadgalerie, Berlin, Germany. Essay: “Ilan Averbuch,” Donald Kuspit. 1986.
Contemporary Sculpture from the Martin Z. Marguiles Collection, Grove Isle, Coconut Grove, Florida.
Introduction Paula Harper. 1986.
Biennale Des Friedens. Kunsthaus und Kunstverein, Hamburg, Germany. 1985.
Israel Art. Israel Museum, Jerusalem. 1985.
Tel Hai 83. Contemporary Art Meeting, Israel. 1983.
Philadelphia Tricentennial Show. 1982.
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Avanim Vetseadim (steps and stones), 2008
Stone, steel
24 x 9.5 x 2 feet
Commissioned by the City of Leawood, Kansas, for Gezer Park 3 Attachment 6
The Little Prince, 1995
Copper
16 x 12 x 11 feet
Portland, OR, Arena Complex
Commissioned by the City of Portland
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Terra Incognita, 1995
Wood, stone, earth
17 x 40 x 6 feet
Portland, OR, Arena Complex;
Commissioned by the City of Portland
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The Dove Tower and Steps to the Bottom of a Pyramid, 2004 Stone
22 x 39 x 48 feet
Located at the University of Connecticut at Storrs; CT Commission on the Arts 6 Attachment 6
Under the Shadow of a Big Tree, 2009
Steel, stone
14 x 18 x 14 feet
Tephford Park, Tamarac, FL; Commissioned by the City of Tamarac 7 Attachment 6
Monument for Time, 2010
Stone, steel, wood
30 x 22 x 12 feet
Sorenson Recreation Center, Herriman, UT; Commissioned by Salt Lake County 8 Attachment 6
The Bell, the Flower and the Wash, 2011
Steel, stone
16 x 30 x 18 feet
Fire Station #1, Eldorado Park, Scottsdale, AZ; Commissioned by City of Scottsdale 9 Attachment 6
Communicating Vessels, 2015
Cor-ten steel and granite
17 x 31 x 6 feet
Remote Operations Campus, Raleigh, NC; Commissioned by the City of Raleigh 10 Attachment 6
Theater of the Wind, 2016
Cor-ten steel and granite
18 x 22 x 24 feet
Commissioned by State Farm Insurance, Marina Heights, Tempe, AZ 11 Attachment 6
Mammoth, 2018
Cor-ten steel and concrete
25 x 49 x 10 feet
Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA
Washington State Arts Commission
12 Attachment 6
The House in the Boat The Boat in the House, 2019
Boat: wood and steel; Barn: concrete, stone, red bricks, red tile 40 x 58 x 24 feet
Commissioned by the Holzhausen Estate, Nieheim, Germany 13 Attachment 6
Ilan Ilan, 2020
Stainless steel and glass
12 x 31 x 15 ft
Ilan Gal-on Plaza at the Sapir Tower
Diamond Bourse Area, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Tappan Zee, 2020
Cor-ten weathering steel and granite
13 x 21 x 3 ft
Located on the Esposito Trail, Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, South Nyack, NY Commissioned by the New York State Thurway in partnership with ArtsWestchester and the Arts Council of Rockland 15 Attachment 6
As Far as the Eyes Can See, 2020
Cor-ten weathering steel and granite
24 x 48 x 18 feet
Commissioned by Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 16
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The Sun on the Edge, 2021
Cor-ten weathering steel and recycled granite
30 x 27 x 2 ft
EDGE District Roundabout / Commissioned by the City of St. Petersburg, FL 17 Attachment 6
ILAN A VERBUCH
The Village
A proposal for the
Civic Center Amphitheater
Sunnyvale, CA 18
Attachment 6
Drawing for The Village, 2021
19 Attachment 6
THE VILLAGE
18 ft high by 35 ft length with a depth of 8 ft
Cast Concrete and Cor-ten Weathering Steel
For the City of Sunnyvale’s Civic Center Amphitheater
public art project I propose, The Village, a large-scale site- specific installation representing a constellation of colorful cast concrete houses raised on stilts made of Cor-ten
weathering steel. The sculpture measures 18 feet high with a length of 35 feet and a depth of 8 feet. The work is to be installed in the greenspace behind the amphitheater seating, serving as a backdrop to the amphitheater, and a source of shade for its visitors.
The Village comprises a series of seven houses cast in dyed concrete, each measuring approximately 4’4” x 6’ x 4’ and other 5’4” x 4’4” x 4’ elevated overhead on four legs
constructed of 6” x 6” Cor-ten weathering steel tubes,
lifting the homes to varying heights from 11’6” to 12’6”.
The towering pigmented concrete abodes are rendered in
blue, yellow, red, white, gray, and green pastel washes adding color and contrast to the backdropping greenspace.
The concrete forms are cast with an inner steel structure for strength and connectivity to the steel legs and to each other.
Each house is unique in shape and color, varying slightly from its neighbor. The windows and the doors suggest eyes and noses and read as expressive faces. The raised houses appear theatrical as a row of figures in a chorus line
elevated on high steel stilts. Their location behind the seating in the amphitheater suggest they are part of the audience, watching intently the actors on the stage and joining in on the comedy, tragedy, melodrama, or music
being performed on the adjacent arena.
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The height of the work and its placement on the hill behind the seating, puts the work at a height of 24 feet above the surrounding landscape, creating a colorful beacon to the amphitheater and a focal point within the park. Park visitors will be attracted to follow the forms, to further explore the park, and happen upon the amphitheater. Those who come
close to the sculpture will see the work from a different perspective, looking up at the colossal forms from below. The elevated forms create a roof and provide shading to the park and amphitheater visitors.
The houses look as if they are floating in mid-air, slightly different in height from each other creating a whimsical dreamscape that invites the viewers imagination to add to the meaning of the work. The concept of the village conjures connotations of human connectivity through gathering and forming groups. This can imply families, living groups, friends, theatrical groups, and cultural communities. As the amphitheater is a place for gathering of all these groups, the backdropping village further represents these populations and solidifies the idea of community and gathering. Although the houses are separate and individually constructed, they appear as if they are drawn together by gravity, magnetism, or some unseen force paralleling unexplained and fortuitous
connections between people and people, and people and places.
The Village connects those seated within the amphitheater under one communal roof. It is representative of all the different people who will view it, whether briefly as they pass through the park, or groups that gather for more meaningful experiences within the amphitheater. Together, the villages create a timeless icon that suggests a confluence of different cultures and identities, paralleling the multiculturality of Sunnyvale, in both its founding, current, and future
populations. 21
Attachment 6
The Village, 2021
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Cor-ten Weathering SteelCast Concrete
Materials
The work is made of pigmented cast concrete and Cor-ten weathering steel.
The concrete will be pigmented with blue, red, yellow, and green pigments. An internal steel frame embedded in each of the houses will provide stability and connection to the steel legs. The use of cast concrete mirrors the materials used for the s eating of the amphitheater, making a connection between materials on the ground and in the sky.
Cor-ten is a weathering steel that builds up a natural and protective layer of rust when exposed to the elements. It produces a rich rust color. The protective rust has a corrosion-retarding effect creating a barrier against natural elements. 23 Attachment 6
Proposed Location within the Park
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24 Attachment 6
Proposed Location within the Amphitheater
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Drawing for The Village 26
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Profile of the Sculpture & Amphitheater Seating
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Fabrication & Installation
Prior to fabrication an engineer will calculate the steel dimensions, connections, and foundation taking into account all aspects of the location: seismic, wind, and geotechnical information. The engineer drawings will be signed and sealed in the state of California.
The work will be fabricated in my studio in Long Island City over the course of twelve months for an installation in January– March 2023. One to two months before installation we will create a foundation based on the engineer’s calculations. I will work with a local contractor to remove the earth and pour the foundation. The work will be transported in pieces on two semi- trailers. We will then reassemble the work on site, building onto threaded rods pre-embedded in the foundation. The work will be installed on site by myself and two assistants, it will take approximately two weeks. Rental equipment includes a forklift, crane, boom reach, and generator welder.
Maintenance Statement
The concrete and Cor-ten weathering steel do not need any maintenance. The Cor-ten weathering steel will build up a layer of rust that is a protective layer against natural elements. The sculpture should routinely be checked for debris (litter and fa llen leaves) removal around the base of the work. As it is made of industrial and architectural materials it does not require any special maintenance.
Fabrication & Installation
28 Attachment 6
Fabrication Plan and Internal Steel Structure
6”x6”x12’
4’
4.5’
6’
29 Attachment 6
Suggested Lighting Plan
30 Attachment 6
Thank you for taking the time to view my proposal.
ILAN A VERBUCH
10-15 48th Avenue, Long Island City, NY
[email protected]
917-660-6774
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