Brighton Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit

The City of Brighton is committed to regional initiatives that improve the quality of life within the community. The Brighton Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit is just one example, housing a number of permanent pieces and circulating pieces in a biennial exhibit that enhances the vibrancy of the city's downtown. This must-see exhibit is presented by the Brighton Arts and Culture Commission with funding assistance from the Brighton Downtown Development Authority.
 
According to former Mayor Kate Lawrence, the exhibit “started in the dumpster” more than a decade ago when she met local artist and sculptor John Sauve, who was dumpster diving at Lawrence Auto Body, "shopping" for materials to finish his next big project. The City realized that Sauve wasn’t the only artist in town creating and looking for a place to show off his work. Brighton tapped into the immense amount of talent across the region, and the Brighton Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit was born.
 
Since 2004, the exhibit has hosted pieces from artists across the Midwest, and the current display features 28 sculptures -- 17 of which are now permanent installments in the community. The exhibit highlights Brighton's walk-ability and vibrant arts and culture scene. The Brighton Arts and Culture Commission invites the public to take the self-guided tour to experience the exhibit and the Brighton community. Below is the original Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit Walking Map, as well as, an interactive map of the walking tour.

Download the Brighton Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit Walking Map




The Bird by Piet Lindhout (Permanent)

The-Bird

The Bird was constructed from mild steel with no finish and is meant to illustrate the dynamic character of the Brighton community. Movement, balance, nature, and soaring to new heights are all descriptive of Brighton and The Bird through the artist’s eyes.

Piet Lindhout is an architect by trade, but loves to fashion art from metal. 
 

Elegant Lady by Kegham Tazian (Permanent)

Elegant-Lady

Elegant Lady is an expression of beauty inspired and influenced by the artist’s experiences.
 
Kegham Tazian is an award-winning sculptor and painter. The Armenian-born artist has gained much notoriety for the diversity of his work and the variety of media exemplified in his pieces. A blend of modernism, realism and abstraction are commonly depicted in his paintings and sculptures. His work adorns the entrances and halls of major corporations, universities and municipalities, including Siemens Corporation, Huntington Bank, Wayne State University, and the city halls of Farmington and Farmington Hills, Michigan.  Tazian is Professor Emeritus at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills. He began his teaching career at the college in 1967, serving as Chairman of the Art Department for six years and as Director of the Smith Theatre Art Gallery for over 25 years.  He currently resides in Farmington Hills, Michigan.   
 

Emergence by Sergio De Giusti (Permanent) 

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Emergence
, the only piece in the Biennial Sculpture Exhibit located inside, is a 3 foot by 2.5 foot relief cast in Hydro-Stone, which is a hard, gypsum-based concrete. 
 
The Italianborn artist, Sergio De Giusti, has exhibited his work in both the United States and Europe in such places as the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Smithsonian.  De Giusti has pieces housed in across Michigan including the Rick Finley U.S. DEA Building, Wayne State University Law School, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Michigan building, and the Labor Legacy Monument in Hart Plaza, Detroit.  De Giusti received his B.F.A. and M.F.A. from Wayne State University where he taught Art History and Studio Art classes. De Giusti also taught Sculpture at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI and at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center. De Giusti continues to create sculpture at his residence in Redford Township, Michigan.
 

Stretch by Bryan Barker (Biennial)

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Bryan Barker is an artist living and working in Brighton, MI.  His pieces are fashioned from metal and feature color and whimsy.
 

Bring Your Chalk and Draw on Me by Adnan Charara (Permanent)

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Adnan Charara is a Lebanese-American artist who has lived and worked in the U.S. since 1982. Since he was a child, Charara has had an unquenchable thirst to create and has drawn, painted, and sculpted his way from Seattle to Boston and finally, to Detroit, where he currently resides. Charara works in multiple mediums with several ideas floating at a time.  He treats his studio practice like a detail-oriented factory, but his hard-working dedication is masked by his whimsical and humorous creations.  He now has a gallery in the Cass Corridor in Detroit.  The children love this interactive piece of art.
 

Dancer Two by John Piet (Biennial)

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John Piet was the former Director of the Department of Art at Macomb Community College.  A native of Detroit, Piet was educated at the Detroit Institute of Arts Center for Creative Studies (Now College of Creative Studies) and at Wayne State University where he received his Master of Fine Arts.  Piet grew up in the industrial Midwest and was influenced by the character of the streets, factories, and the Detroit music scene.  With a wealth of technology and raw materials, essential to creating his art, Piet found material and inspiration from the Industrial Midwest, where he grew up inspired by the streetscapes, factories, and Detroit music scene.
 

From Nature to Nature by Kegham Tazian (Biennial)

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From Nature to Nature is a bronze piece that originated as petrified wood.  The artist, Kegham Tazian, modified the wood to resemble gothic architecture.
 
Kegham Tazian is an award-winning sculptor and painter. The Armenian-born artist has gained much notoriety for the diversity of his work and the variety of media exemplified in his pieces. A blend of modernism, realism and abstraction are commonly depicted in his paintings and sculptures.  His work adorns the entrances and halls of major corporations, universities and municipalities, including Siemens Corporation, Huntington Bank, Wayne State University, and the city halls of Farmington and Farmington Hills, Michigan.  Tazian is Professor Emeritus at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills. He began his teaching career at the college in 1967, serving as Chairman of the Art Department for six years and as Director of the Smith Theatre Art Gallery for over 25 years.  He currently resides in Farmington Hills, Michigan.   
 

Doppleganger by John Sauve (Biennial)

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John Sauve is at heart an artist and a sculptor, but he has a huge soft spot for the community.  Founder of the Sauvé Art Foundation, a community activist, and a teacher to inner-city children, Sauve was proud to be the inspiration for the Biennial Sculpture Exhibit here in Brighton.
 

Blue Heron by Michael Monroe (Permanent)

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Blue Heron
 was sculpted by Michael Glenn Monroe
 

Metropolis by The Nordin Brothers (Biennial)

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The artists, Erik and Israel Nordin, say that the idea behind Metropolis was a city that surrounds a body of water – making it a fitting piece for the City of Brighton. The geometrical grid is meant to represent a topographical view of a city, and a blue glass ball centered within the piece symbolizes water.  The small metal spheres throughout, represent people and the two steel arcs on either side of the grid symbolize energy surrounding the city.  Metropolis stands 14 feet tall and is made from stainless steel, oxidized carbon steel, and glass. Erik Nordin, who is a Brighton Township resident, says that he and Israel are very proud to have this sculpture placed in Brighton.
 
The Nordin Brothers have been creating sculptures together for 15 years in their Detroit studio, Detroit Design Center, and many of their sculptures can be found in cities throughout Michigan. 
 

Decision Pending by Jay Holland (Permanent)

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Decision Pending
represents someone putting their shattered life back together. The figure's clenched fist and confident stance hint at resolve and the courage to continue on after tragedy.  The artist, Jay Holland, was a Korean War Veteran and this piece was created after his return from the war
 
Jay Holland is considered by many to be one of the founding fathers of Detroit sculpture.  He taught many artists at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI where he was a Professor for over 30 years.  Holland received his art degree at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. 
 

It’s a Keeper by Michael Glenn Monroe (Permanent)

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Michael Glenn Monroe is a Brighton, MI native known for his wildlife painting.  He was commissioned by the Livingston Sunrise Rotary for his piece, It’s a Keeper, as a gift to “the children of Brighton.”
 

City with a Halo by John Piet (Permanent)

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John Piet was the former Director of the Department of Art at Macomb Community College.  A native of Detroit, Piet was educated at the Detroit Institute of Arts Center for Creative Studies (Now College of Creative Studies) and at Wayne State University where he received his Master of Fine Arts.  Piet grew up in the industrial Midwest and was influenced by the character of the streets, factories, and the Detroit music scene.  With a wealth of technology and raw materials, essential to creating his art, Piet found material and inspiration from the Industrial Midwest, where he grew up inspired by the streetscapes, factories, and Detroit music scene.
 

Joy the Sara Fisher Memorial (Permanent)

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Joy
 was designed by Sara Fisher and donated to the City of Brighton by her family after she was killed in a car accident.  Her family wanted to see Sara's vision come to life.  They had the piece built in her memory and put on display overlooking the Millpond.

Currents by The Nordin Brothers (Permanent)

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Currents
 is an 8 foot tall sculpture that features a series of long undulating stainless steel rods that hang vertically from a larger, outer circle and a smaller, inner circle. The piece was inspired by the motion of wind and water.  The curves in the rods give the impression of movement, however the piece itself is actually moves.  Feel free to move the rods with your hands or watch the piece move on its own on with the wind.  Circles of blue glass were added to create a “sparkle” of color throughout the piece. 
 

Recycle by The Nordin Brothers (Permanent)

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Recycle
 is a 10 foot tall sculpture constructed from stainless steel and glass.  Four separate arms sit adjacent to one another with a glass casting surrounded by stainless steel on both ends.    The one inch thick, hand-poured glass is featured in several colors.  The arms allow the glass pieces to be arranged by the wind or by an individual in a multitude of ways.  Each time the individual pieces move, they sculpture becomes a new piece.  Recycle symbolizes reinvention and the cyclic nature of life and the natural world.
 

Flex by The Nordin Brothers (Permanent)

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Flex is a 12 foot tall sculpture made from stainless steel and glass.  The large, arcing rods command attention and are highlighted by the glass casting situated at the top. When the sun shines, you can view shadows of color being projected onto the ground.  Flex was inspired by the continual growth the earth provides. 
 
All three of these pieces were commissioned from The Nordin Brothers by the Brighton Arts and Culture Commission (BACC) after the BACC received a Rural Arts Grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and financial support from the Downtown Development Authority.  The Brighton Arts and Culture Commission wanted sculptures with movement and interaction for the pocket park.  These pieces are not only interesting to look at, but they are interesting to watch as they sway and spin in the wind.  The Nordin Brothers have been creating sculptures together for 15 years in their Detroit studio, Detroit Design Center, and many of their sculptures can be found in cities throughout Michigan.
 

Images From Ur I by Sergio De Giusti  (Biennial)

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Images From Ur I is a 2.5 foot by 2 foot, cast resin relief mounted inside a 6 foot tall steel frame.  The piece is part of a series of reliefs by sculptor Sergio De Giusti that comment on the conquest and brutality of war.  They are a symbolic pictorial of the first Gulf War in Iraq.  Based on ancient Assyrian reliefs where the spoils of war were brought back to the king, De Giusti created Images From Ur I, showing American soldiers bringing their dead back to America in body bags. 
 
The Italian born artist, Sergio De Giusti, has exhibited his work in both the United States and Europe in such places as the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Smithsonian.  De Giusti has pieces housed in across Michigan including the Rick Finley U.S. DEA Building, Wayne State University Law School, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Michigan building, and the Labor Legacy Monument in Hart Plaza, Detroit.  De Giusti received his B.F.A. and M.F.A. from Wayne State University where he taught Art History and Studio Art classes. De Giusti also taught Sculpture at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI and at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center. De Giusti continues to create sculpture at his residence in Redford Township, Michigan.
 

Our Halo by Bryan Barker (Biennial)

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Bryan Barker is an artist living and working in Brighton, MI.  His pieces are fashioned from metal and feature color and whimsy.
 

Spiral by Maureen Voorheis (Permanent)

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Spiral
 was designed by Maureen Voorheis and fabricated by Jim Ignash and local artist, John Sauve has helped maintain the piece.  Spiral was constructed from steel, evoking movement as the twists spiral toward the sky.  Maureen Voorheis is an artist living in West Bloomfield who creates pieces with movement.
 

Bob by Chido Johnson (Permanent)

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Chido Johnson is influenced by the cultures in which he grew up in: American and Zimbabwean.  These cultural influences are reflected in his pieces.  Johnson uses his art to explore physical and narrative performances that transform and negotiate senses of self, place and belonging. “I wanted to be a clown, a gorilla, and a priest, so I became an artist”.  He is now an Associate Professor at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI.
 

The Winged Guardian by Diane Marie Kramer (Biennial)

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Winged Guardian
 was handcrafted by local artist in residence, Diane Kramer, who says her piece was made with the Brighton community in mind and designed to watch over the City.  Although beautiful from a far, the piece is truly appreciated up close.  Made with an alchemy of materials, Kramer crafted Winged Guardian using everything but the kitchen sink including, cement, steel, gemstones, and even washers from her father's tool box.  Diane Marie Kramer is an intuition based painter, sculptor and photographer.  Kramer moved to Brighton, MI after falling in love with the public art scene.
 

Man in Motion by Mark Oberting (Biennial)

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Standing 5 feet tall, Man in Motion celebrates the rich history of industry and transportation in the Midwest. The sculpture is comprised of an eclectic mix of tools and oddments from the automotive, aerospace, rail and racing industries.  The components of this sculpture were assembled from artist, Mark Oberting’s personal collection, which includes items from the garage of Fenton, MI drag racer, Jack Marks.  Although the piece is of majority a metal composition, the heart of the Man in Motion is glass.
 
Indiana native, Mark Oberting, works in a diverse array of mediums, including wood, metal and watercolor, but his true artistic passion is glassblowing. The extreme level of difficulty in transforming liquid glass into a refined form continually ignites his creative spirit.  A true artist at heart, Oberting’s diversity is driven by the constant appreciation and awareness of the beauty that is present in everyday life. With the culmination of his perpetual creativity in color, texture, shape, and mixed media, the process behind each piece is its own work of art.  Oberting’s work can be seen at Riley Children's Hospital, the Indianapolis Art Center, and the Marian and Eugene Glick Eye Institute in Indianapolis, IN. You can also find Oberting travelling in his mobile art van “Fillmore Lumpkin” where he displays his work on the road.
 

Blown Away by Bryan Barker (Biennial)

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Bryan Barker is an artist living and working in Brighton, MI.  His pieces are fashioned from metal and feature color and whimsy.
 

Winter ’05 by Doug Gruizenga (Permanent)

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Winter ’05 was crafted from welded aluminum. Each piece that the artist, Doug Gruizenga, creates is a varied composition of an actual object that tries to understand the universal truths and variables of composition and function.
 
Doug Gruizenga lives in Interlochen MI.  He received his B.S in Art Education and his M.A. in Art Practice from Western Michigan University.  Emphasizing sculpture and furniture design, the sculptures that Gruizenga produces are an attempt to study the absolutes and variables of form and function. 
 

Don Quixote by Steve Cannaert (Permanent)

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Steve Cannaert is a design and welding engineer by trade, artist by craft, living in Pinckney, MI. 
 

Steel by Adam Genei (Permanent)

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Adam Genei is a multidimensional designer from our very own, Brighton, MI.  His company, Mob Steel, manufactures custom cars and wheels.  Inspired by modern architects like Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, Genei’s clean, modern aesthetic and industrial elements provide a sense of space in each of his pieces.  Adam donated Steel to the City of Brighton to raise money for Gleaners Community Food Bank.
 

Sancho Panza by Steve Cannaert (Biennial)

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Steve Cannaert is a design and welding engineer by trade, artist by craft, living in Pinckney, MI. 

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