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mahogany, diaphragm, pump,
water storage tank,
brass, plumbing, fasteners

American Idyll

September 24, 2003 -
September 30, 2004

at MetroTech Center, Brooklyn

Public Art Fund is proud to present a new exhibition of contemporary art at MetroTech Center. American Idyll continues MetroTech's commitment to supporting the work of emerging artists. Each year artists are asked to respond to the Commons, the public spaces surrounding the vibrant downtown areas of MetroTech Center and Brooklyn Polytechnic. The artists in this year's exhibition - Jon Conner, Amy Gartrell, Dave McKenzie, Pentti Monkkonen and Roman de Salvo - have each created works that observe and playfully comment upon outdoor recreation, roadside Americana, and idyllic pastimes and pleasures.

Liquid Ballistic, Roman de Salvo's project at MetroTech Center, is a mahogany cannon that doubles as a seesaw and releases a gentle stream of water when activated. Manipulating the cannon's traditional function, de Salvo renders it useless as a weapon and considers alternate applications for such an outmoded relic. Calling to mind the countless cannons found on revolutionary battlegrounds along the East Coast of the United States, Liquid Ballistic's update of age-old weaponry is literally disarming. Spectators are invited to ride the cannon and enjoy themselves--not a typical response to an instrument of attack--while partaking of de Salvo's humorous and absurd work.

Artist Bio
San Diego based artist Roman de Salvo received a BFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA and an MFA from the University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA. In his sculptures and installations, de Salvo manages to be both restrained and high-spirited, blending his fascination for machines and craftsmanship with an interest in language and wordplay. He has exhibited throughout the United States and Europe, including solo shows at Quint Contemporary Art, La Jolla (2001), CA, and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla, CA (1998). Recent group exhibitions include Baja to Vancouver: The West Coast in Contemporary Art, Seattle Art Museum, WA (2003; traveled), and the 2002 California Biennial, Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach, CA (2002).

Sponsorship
American Idyll at MetroTech Center is part of an ongoing program organized by the Public Art Fund and sponsored by MetroTech Commons Associates, an organization that consists of MetroTech companies Bear Stearns & Company, Forest City Ratner Companies, JPMorganChase, KeySpan, Polytechnic University, Securities Industry Automation Corporation (SIAC) and DOITT. Special thanks to Forest City Ratner Companies and First New York Management.

Location
MetroTech Center is situated in the Civic Center/Borough Hall area of Downtown Brooklyn.
By Subway: M, N, or R to Lawrence Street Station or the A, C, or F to Jay Street/Borough Hall, exit at Myrtle Promenade.