PNC Presents Sculptor Christine Rojek, Breeze Keeper Highlights

Christine-Rojek-Breeze-KeeperThe Purdue University North Central Odyssey Arts and Cultural Events Series will present the exhibit "Sculptor Christine Rojek . . . Breeze Keeper Highlights" featuring photos depicting the creation of her sculpture, Breeze Keeper, on exhibit Aug. 26 through Dec. 13 in the first floor, north study area of the PNC Technology Building. It is free and open to the public.

Building hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. during the school semester; otherwise the building is closed on Sunday.

The sculpture Breeze Keeper was created by Rojek and recently installed as part of the PNC campus Odyssey sculpture exhibit. Breeze Keeper became part of the PNC STEM Camp as Holly Beadles, Michigan City Area Schools art instructor, led campers in assisting with the installation. Rojak noted, "This part of the installation normally takes 10 hours to complete. With my team of little campers handing me all of the parts, we were finished in less than three hours. It was a joy to see their faces as they 'tested' each counterbalanced element."

The aluminum sculpture stands 9 feet high, 42 feet wide and 24 feet deep. It mimics the graceful planting rows and the sway of the rural prairie. It consists of more than 70 wind-activated elements that are suspended from four frames representing the landscape.

The photo exhibit provides a look at how Rojek carefully assembled each piece of her sculpture and how the individual parts came together to create a remarkable work of art.

Rojek specializes in creating public sculpture and uses the tenets of fine design to create interactive environments that appeal to a diverse audience. These forms of lyrical expression can be provocative, humorous, or whimsical and have become destination pieces in many cities throughout the United States.

After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, she continued her studies at the American School of Fontainebleau in France where she focused on both performance and installation art. Rojek has received widespread recognition for her achievements, including several fellowship grants from the Illinois Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and an AT&T Technology in Art Grant. Rojek teaches at Columbia College Chicago. She is the co-founder of SculpTours, a touring company promoting the appreciation and advancement of sculpture in Chicago and she serves on the advisory board for the Center for the Study of Art and Architecture, the parent organization of Architeacher.org

For information about this exhibit or the Odyssey Arts and Cultural Events Series, contact Judy Jacobi, PNC assistant vice chancellor of Marketing and Campus Relations, at 785-5200, ext. 5593. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Jacobi.