“Sonnet” by Steve Heine, random text, laser-cut steel, small-diameter magnets, primer, poplar, 30x30x2in, 2019, $3900
Interdisciplinary is a word that has dominated art conversations for the past ten years or more. Aside from the more obvious mash up of mediums and disciplines, a more subtle result is the occasional work that conjures rich associations with other forms. Steve Heine creates commissioned architectural glass for homes and corporate clients, and in “Sonnet” has shifted from purely abstract forms to the use of letters to pull our attention into the composition. We demand that it be readable, we search for words among the endlessly overlapping letterforms, and the title leads us to expect nothing less than the words of William Shakespeare.
But Heine has a trickier premise for this work: “The ‘infinite monkey theorem’ states that a monkey striking keys at random on a typewriter for an infinite amount of time will almost certainly type out the complete works of William Shakespeare. With this new piece, I’m interested in the iteration and abstraction of randomly generated text to create a visual spell of line, light and shadow.”
Heina has work throughout the region, including the Marriott AC NuLu Hotel, Decca Restaurant, Jewish Hospital Medical Center South, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, Sacred Heart Schools’ Ursuline Arts Center, KMAC and Faulkner Real Estate.
“I see my artwork as small-scale architecture—the process of making and an emphasis on materials are vital for me. My current work is primarily explorations via low-relief mixed media: I’m concerned with the thoughtful manipulation of surface and the modulation of light, color and shadow. I’m drawn to Minimalism and to spare yet potent built architecture [where I see it in the world]. I’m interested in creating work that is “quiet”, balanced and resolved, and distilled to its essential elements.”
“Honeycomb Clouds” by Steve Heine, laser-cut and folded steel, maple, integral LED panel, 48x48x4in each, 2018, NFS
“Cloud Panels” is a permanent installation at the Marriott AC NuLu Hotel on E. Market Street in Louisville, and was accomplished in collaboration with Louisville Visual Art. “Although I usually envision these panels in blues or violets, the color can be changed at any time via a small, hand-held, wireless remote control. The range of available colors is virtually unlimited. The hotel currently has ‘Honeycomb Clouds’ programmed to continually shift through a wide range of colors.”
Recent recognition includes:
•2018: "Beetle", a small hollow-core vessel cast several years ago from recycled light bulbs, was selected for "Celebrating American Craft—Southern Style", survey of contemporary craft across the American South, at Vanderbilt University.
•2018: A permanent installation at the Marriott AC NuLu Hotel was featured in LEO Weekly.
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Education: BS, Architecture, University of Kentucky
Website: craniumglass.squarespace.com
Instagram: instagram.com/craniumglass/
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“Cloud Extrusion” by Steve Heine, laser-cut and folded steel, primer, poplar, integral LED panel, 30x30x3in, 2018, $3900
“Cloud Extrusion” (multiple images) by Steve Heine, laser-cut and folded steel, primer, poplar, integral LED panel, 30x30x3in, 2018, $3900
Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved. In addition to his work at the LVA, Keith is also the Managing Editor of a website, Arts-Louisville.com, which covers local visual arts, theatre, and music in Louisville.
