On the Edge of Awakening

Donor

N/A

How It Purchased

Commissioned through the State of Illinois Art-in-Architecture Program

Description

On the Edge of Awakening is a large-scale sculpture measuring 108 x 30 x 37 inches, created by Terry Karpowicz, the co-founder of the celebrated Navy Pier outdoor sculpture displays in Chicago. It is from a series Karpowicz made to explore the challenges to humanity at this point in history. The artist is drawn to the interactions of wind, water, sunlight, and gravity on natural materials. This interest was influenced, in part, by his studies on medieval windmills and watermills in England, during his Fulbright-Hayes Fellowship. He was influenced by 1970s theories and practices of Minimalism and Conceptualism. Karpowicz received a B.A. in fine arts from Albion College, Michigan, and enrolled in the graduate sculpture program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1973. He has received two awards from the National Endowment for the Arts awards, and four grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, and has completed several commissioned works. In 1975, Karpowicz lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident. He has long been involved with studies at the Center for Bionic Medicine and was a research participant for lightweight-powered prosthetic leg. He has been able to evolve his artwork as prosthetic technologies evolve.

Reference Sources

• Burt, Sheila. “Artist Terrence Karpowicz: Making Graceful Art.” Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. May 17, 2018. https://www.sralab.org/research/labs/bionic-medicine/news/artist-terrence-karpowicz-making-graceful-art  
• Meckstroth, Steve, and Mark Schmitt. Campus art: A walking tour of selected artwork on the campus of Illinois State University. Normal: University Marketing and Communications, 2003. 
• “Terrence Karpowicz.” Karpowics Studios. Accessed July 6, 2023. http://www.karpowiczstudios.com/ 
• “Terry Karpowicz.” Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art. Accessed July 6, 2023. https://uima-chicago.org/