Temporary Public Art – Culver Current – New Show!
Culver Current
Temporary Public Art – Culver Current – New Show! Culver Current Due to popular demand, the groundbreaking mixed media sculpture created by Los Angeles-based artist Nate Mohler, has been extended through December 2022 with a new show! Now this stunning interactive “fountain” displays a bright combination of generative video art with kinetic silhouettes mirroring viewers’ movements every evening beginning at dusk.
The artist’s original inspiration was the idea of the fountain as a public gathering place, as he reimagined the inactive water fountain over which the custom thermoformed Corian® shell sits. The 9-foot tall steel frame houses 494 LED panels that illumine the shell from within. The artwork defines several values: the current time, water current, and electrical current.
“Traditional fountains are feats of engineering and art, capturing the force of nature . . . I wanted to reimagine what a modern fountain would look like today, with new traditions and technologies. This sculpture is a reflection of the past, a moment in the present, and a discussion of the future,” says Mohler. The concept behind Culver Current is also a nod to German philosopher Jürgen Habermas’s vision that supporting art and activity in public space leads to a more harmonious society.
Learn more about the creative process behind Culver Current here.
Culver Current’s new show also features a special display – colors of the Ukrainian flag repeated every 20-minute projection cycle.
#culvercurrent #culvercity
A free augmented reality (AR) postcard is available at the sculpture site. The back of the postcard includes information about the free Pixpand app which shows how to view the video on your smartphone. Send one to your friends!
This artwork was commissioned in conjunction with the Art in Public Places Program, with support from the Cultural Affairs Commission, and the City Council who originally approved the installation in 2019 as part of a year-long celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the City’s Art in Public Places Program. The second show in 2021 comprised 15 generative composites of manipulated photographs, including the Hayden Tract, and the artist and friends swimming. Funding for Culver Current comes entirely from the Cultural Trust Fund and developers’ permit fees.
About the Artist
Nate Mohler is a media artist who works with technology as a “paint brush” to build conceptual avant-garde experiences through digital art. A 2019 UCLA graduate with a B.A. in Design | Media Arts, he is intrigued with the fusion of technology to support connectivity and social activism with unconventional space and sound. His work focuses on eliciting action and curiosity through digital media such as projection mapping, immersive installations, sculpture, and video art.
Project Core Team:
Jacob Fishman, Lead Producer
Ruben Jimenez, LED/Power Specialist
Mario Romano, Corian® Fabrication
Eric Vrymoed, Steel Fabrication
Special Contributors:
Phil Geronilla, Carlo Gomez, Andrew Hulin, Jackson Kurtz, and Richard Lewis.
You can listen to a special sound accompaniment for this artwork, composed by Luke Mombrea here:
Art Consultant:
Irina Panasyuk
Photos:
Nate Mohler