This piece was started at the Center for Metal Arts (CMA) in Johnstown, PA during my winter forging residency. Conceptually, the work speaks about fatigue and the aftermath of physical and mental exhaustion. The piece takes the form of a celery bundle, a common food that can be fresh and crunchy or wilted and decayed, depending on the amount of time that has passed, a reminder that the same process can occur in our human form as well.
chewed.up
Justin O'Rourke
Bio
Justin O'Rourke is an educator and artist who lives in Salem, NY. After graduating from Dartmouth College, he traveled throughout the Northeast working as a hydroelectric mechanic and welder. He combines metal fabrication and blacksmithing techniques to create steel sculpture based on memories and past experiences.