The art program at Porter in Oak Park, Illinois is uniquely curated not only for the benefit of the building’s residents, but through a new public art installation, also elevates the experience of the broader Oak Park community.
Curated by Johalla Projects, the art program at Porter brings contemporary artists into your everyday life. By elevating our public spaces and with carefully curated artworks, Porter reflects the vibrant community that defines Oak Park. The most recent, and largest work to come to Porter is from local artist Cody Norman. According to his website, Cody works with both digital and analog fabrication processes to transform recycled and bio plastics into functional art objects. Creating enigmatic forms that feel at once familiar and foreign, Norman’s process physically blurs the line between digital and hand craft.
Norman’s forms are inspired by biomimicry and sustainability. He uses an industrial robot, formerly a tool of mass production, to create one of a kind objects in unique ways. His objects resemble nature but have a chaotic and unpredictable materiality, as well as an element of function alluding to the “usefulness” of plastic objects.
Inspired by the tree lined streets of Oak Park, this piece is made from post-consumer HDPE plastic collected from over 50 households and businesses in Oak Park. The vibrant colors reflect the different sources of plastic – laundry detergent jugs, shampoo bottles, bottle caps, and more. By diverting this plastic from the waste stream and turning it into public art, our community can enjoy the shade while contemplating the typical lifespan of everyday objects and what we can do to reduce the amount of unintentional plastic in the environment.
To learn more about the art program at Porter or to discuss a project of your own, please contact us today.