American Mettle Lower 48 (Swinger)
$18,500 - Measures 7 feet 6 inches as measured diagonally from Maine to California and is the largest of these I have made. This work is made of sheet metal from automobiles, machinery, etc., and other objects from my collection. Each state is created after carefully selecting the right piece from thousands of parts. Though each piece is different, they work together to make a cohesive whole.
Everything I use had its own life and story before it came to me. I relate to their scratches, dents, faded paint and rust through my own experiences. For me, there is an evocation of nostalgia by using these fragments of old things. My work is not just about what you see before you, but what the parts once were.
NOTE - It is designed for a very large space.
This piece is made of many pieces of scrap metal from cars, street signs, semi trucks and more. The name of the piece is based on the word “Swinger” as seen in California. It was a side panel from a late 1970’s “Swinger” motor home.
This is the largest size of American Mettle Lower 48 Series maps, there are only 2 in existence. This is the third and last of this size. It was temporarily displayed in a local restaurant/bar space.
Number 1 hangs at George Mason University, Center for History and New Media, Number 2 was destroyed.
