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"Awaiting Creation," a senior-year project by fine arts and environmental studies major Mike Bobbie '08, of Higganum, CT, was recently on exhibition in the Richard F. Brush Art Gallery on campus.

Commenting on the inspiration for the sculpture project, Bobbie states, "The whole idea started from my interest of environmental studies and soon became more of a social issue. I started the project with the impression that it would be this strange cityscape being constructed because of the natural tendency humans have toward urbanization and as a result destruction of the environment. This idea came to me from visiting Kenya and seeing the mass urbanization which was taking place, and from the realization that this was happening around the world. As I continued to work, this idea began to break down further, as I realized that the extent of the problem was far more complicated and more far-reaching. As I looked throughout society at my friends and family, I realized that as modern humans we seem to have this need to replace anything that has become 'old' to us. This includes buildings, but also includes spouses, computers, cars, etc., and the worst part is that these goods do not have to be worthless or broken when they are exchanged. As a result, my intentions for the work changed toward more of this understanding that we are changing our natural environment, replacing it with a new one, but that eventually it will be replaced again by something even more modern or perhaps something of more interest to use than the last."

Bobbie is a member of the soccer team; he participated in the University's program of study in Kenya in 2007.

His advisor for the project is Assistant Professor of Fine Arts Amy Hauber.

Posted: January 31, 2008