FITZHUGH KAROL

Fitzhugh Karol's monumental sculptures are ultimately an expression of his love for creation. "Energy is spent first, and then the record of that energy has a conceptual output that is completely unforeseen and is actually this joyful thing that springs up," he says of his process.

Created from metal, wood, and clay, the sculptures consist of abstract forms combined to build planes, steps, slopes, and portals. These spaces invite viewers to interact with them—children climb through portals cut through heavy metal, and dancers perform on the spines of wood carved to resemble staircases. In his work, Karol pays homage to the sculptural forms of Alberto Giacometti, Alexander Calder, and Mark di Suvero but also creates forms that are uniquely his own.

Karol, born in New Hampshire, received his MFA in ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design and is currently based in Brooklyn. He has exhibited extensively in museums and public spaces, such as Prospect Park in Brooklyn and Bondi Beach in Australia. His practice includes not only public works but also collages made of paper and carved wood. Recently, he created an installation using steel from both the old Tappan Zee Bridge and its replacement, the Mario Cuomo Bridge, in Rockland, New York.