class=”Headline-New”> “Breeze Keeper,” a sculpture by Christine Rojek, is the latest installation of the Evanston Art Center’s annual “Sculpture on the Grounds” program. The piece is composed of more than 60 wind-activated elements suspended from four frames representing the Illinois landscape: 62 aluminum prairie flowers and 12 images.
Ms. Rojek says she looked to the natural Illinois landscape as inspiration for her work: “As the cityscape melts into open land, the landscape alternates between carefully planted crop rows and the gentle prairie. Since my artwork often melds nature and physics, I imagined a sculpture that would mimic the sway of the prairie. One sculpted and counter-balanced prairie flower led to a cluster that I now call ‘Breeze Keeper.’”
The Evanston Art Center, 2603 Sheridan Road, is the perfect home for her creation, Ms. Rojek says. “The great front lawn of the Evanston Art Center provides a dynamic and unrestricted backdrop for sculpture. Dramatic tall trees frame the sculpture site, yet the area is open enough to allow strong sunlight and a steady breeze. After walking the grounds through the natural landscape to the inspiring lake view, I was convinced that EAC was the perfect site for ‘Breeze Keeper.’”