GRAND RAPIDS, MI.- Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the most significant sculpture and botanic experience in the Midwest and an emerging cultural destination on the national scene, today announced an exclusive lecture presentation by internationally-acclaimed sculptor, Mark di Suvero, during the second annual Ward Paul and Charles Schoenknecht Art and Sculpture Lecture Series. Di Suvero will discuss his innovative and thought-provoking sculpture, many of which can be found in cities around the world, including Grand Rapids. The lecture will take place in the Grand Room at Meijer Gardens on Monday, October 30, 2006 at 7:00 PM. The lecture is free to all visitors.

Mark Di Suvero is one of America’s most prolific artists, having placed more works in public spaces than any other sculptor. Many Grand Rapidians are familiar with Motu Viget, the tire-swing sculpture near Calder Plaza, and Scarlatti, part of Meijer Gardens’ permanent collection. Monumental steel sculpture is the life work of di Suvero, which has served as an inspiration for many of the most influential movements in 20th century art–from Constructivism to Assemblage to Kinetic art.

“Perhaps the most exceptional characteristic of di Suvero’s work is the apparent raw energy of the original material, even when scrap metal and other materials were painted or severely manipulated,” said Joseph Becherer, director of the Sculpture Program and curator at Meijer Gardens. “Another distinguishing aspect of his sculpture is its movement, whether with kinetic elements or implied.”

Such is the case with Meijer Gardens’ work, Scarlatti, which soars at 25 feet with a suspended “V” beneath the tip of the central beam intended to move with the wind. Di Suvero will speak in greater detail about his work which he calls, “drawing with steel,” as well as his recent exhibitions at Meijer Gardens, Storm King Art Center and the Peace Tower during the Whitney Biennial.

Currently on display at Meijer Gardens are four additional works by Mark di Suvero on extended loan from the artist since his September 2004 exhibition, including Ben Webster at the Meijer Gardens main entrance, Johnny Appleseed and Rust Angel, in the English Perennial Garden and the colossal Iroquois in the Sculpture Park.

About Mark di Suvero: Born in 1933 in Shanghai to Italian expatriates, Mark di Suvero grew up in San Francisco and studied at the University of California at Berkeley. In 1958, he moved to New York City, where he was exposed to abstract expressionists and the related sculptures of David Smith. Inspired by Smith’s work, di Suvero began creating with discarded wood from destroyed buildings in open, spatial compositions.

Internationally recognized as a foremost figure in contemporary sculpture, di Suvero is a pioneer in the use of steel. During the 1960s, di Suvero began creating with the materials he is most associated with today. Using scrap metal, I-beams, steel cables, and other materials, he creates within the aesthetics of abstract expressionism.

Considered America’s premier contemporary sculptor, di Suvero has received the Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award from the International Sculpture Center and the 2005 Heinz Award for the Arts and Humanities for his commitment to aspiring artists. His recent exhibitions include an exclusive presentation at Meijer Gardens, as well as the Museum of Modern Art and Storm King Art Center. He is also the first living artist to hold an exhibition at the famed Tuileries Garden adjacent to the Louvre in Paris.