Artist:
Jun Kaneko Completion Date: April 1990 Medium: kiln-fired ceramic sculpture Location: Sky Harbor Airport Terminal 3, Level A (moved Jan.
2005) Funding: Aviation Department Percent for Art Funds Artist Contract Amount: $225,000
A
series of ten ceramic sculptures, arranged in
two groups of five. These non-representational,
patterned forms are termed "Dangos"
by the artist, a Japanese word meaning “dumpling”.
Intended to create a sense of balance between
the site and the people moving through the airport,
the simplicity of the forms brings a silent element
to a hectic space.
The
pieces are all the same height, but have been
glazed in different patterns, giving a sense of
individuality to each of the five pieces. Artist
Jun Kaneko explained, “My hope is to repeat
the number of similar shapes but give them a different
identity by painting the surface. This is somehow
a very similar feeling that I have when I see
a group of people. The human body has basic similarity
as a shape but the clothing becomes a statement
of the individual”. With this is mind, the
artwork carries a feeling of ease as one stands
in a crowd, preparing to travel.
About
the Artist
Jun Kaneko was born in Nagoya, Japan, in 1942,
during World War II. After studying painting in
Japan from 1961-1963, he moved to Los Angeles.
Kaneko resides in Omaha, Nebraska and has received
international recognition for his artworks.