Scraponomics Episode Eleventy-Awesomeness: ScrapFest 2016 Is Here!

“Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind.” — Johannes Brahms, German composer and pianist

Ah yes, the time come for another ScrapFest exhibit and auction. You already know the backstory. Teams get 500 lbs. of metal out of Friedland’s plant and then get two weeks to make sculpture. The sculptures are placed (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and People’s Choice), and then auctioned off. 50% of the proceeds go to the artists, and 50% of the proceeds go toward the revitalization effort of Old Town, Lansing.

What you may or may not be familiar with is the caliber of craftsmanship these sculpture are made with. I’ll give you some examples.

Lately, I’ve referred to Ivan Iler as Mr. Kinetic. The reason is that every piece he’s created for the festival so far has incorporated motion into it. Ivan uses a combination of scrap bicycle parts like chains and other scrap to make beautiful pieces. Like, a fiddler who appears to play when the wind blows, and a whale that swims when someone turns a crank. This year, Ivan has created a sandhill crane that spreads its wings when someone pulls a lever. It’s simply awesome.

And then, there’s Kyle Orr. This is Kyle’s first time competing in ScrapFest, and you won’t believe what he’s made in two weeks. Kyle’s sculpture is an incredibly realistic human figure, tied to chains. What’s even more compelling is he reasoning for creating the piece. This is how Kyle see himself; as truly an artist, yet confined by the invisible chains of his day job. (Something many can relate to.) You owe it to yourself to come check out Kyle’s work.

With every year, I’m stunned at how the quality of artwork in ScrapFest continues to increase. This is the eighth year. I can only imagine what the ninth will look like. Come and see for yourself.

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