Artfully Learning Audio Series, Episode 14: Child’s Play and Serious Art

In this episode, I talk about artist created playgrounds and play-inspired sculpture with contemporary artist Scott Hocking. Scott grew up in Detroit, Michigan where playing among mid-century modern artist Jim Miller-Melberg’s concrete playgrounds (see: “Form, Function and Fun: Playgrounds as Art Education”) and experiencing the decline of the auto industry and the proliferation of neglected materials and landfills, has left an impact on him and informed his artistic practice of using discarded and rundown materials to create new works of art. Oftentimes, his sculptures and installations evoke memories and feelings of childhood play due to the fact that the forms he assembles in his work is sourced from material that had been used in modern playgrounds. There is also a very strong moral and ethical statement to the work he makes, because he is prompting us to consider the history of the land and our relationship to its massive transformation over time.

This episode is now available on the Artfully Learning YouTube channel (please be sure to subscribe so you get notified of future episodes!).

You can also listen to it below: