Sculptor Jim West

If there’s one word that sums up the experience of living in
this particular moment, it’s “noise.” Every problem, conflict,
argument and dispute seems to get amplified – and
technology is always ready to make it your problem by
beaming it right to the device in your pocket.

Acclaimend sculptor Jim West finds troubling, but fascinating. His
recent work “Utterance” (2022, Bronze, Steel, Light, Resin, Audio), explores
this idea with mischievous wit, giving voice to the shouting heads that fill
our channels with noise. The symbolic mixed-media sculpture uses Illumination and volume control to explore how humans need to quiet the noise, and not talk over another, to hear and be heard.

It’s one of the Blawnox-based artist’s most districtive works. We helped
connect him with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust (another longtime client for our),
and it was selected exhibition at the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts
Festival, June 2-11, in Downtown Pittsburgh.

“There’s a lot of noise out there”, says West. “And how can we hear what
somebody’s saying when we’re talking over top of them? How can we get
anything accomplished, and how can we come to any conclusion about
anything, when all we’re hearing is these loud, yelling, utterances–?”