Steve Manka

Overview

Sculpture and urban situations merge in my pursuit of public art.

My work is centered on experimenting in the public realm. I integrate an intuitive approach to public space and public art to create sculptures that reveal a deeper meaning of that place. Public Art can be a form of urban acupuncture, carefully pinned to amplify aspirations and provocatively tie people to a place and to each other.

Each new site yields a unique framework for a gestural response. It is never a blank slate, rather a collection of related objects. There are reason for things, their placement and their history, distilling these complex site conditions exposes a special quality of a place.

You will find at the core of my work are concepts that strive for an experiential engagement; a contemplative place to occupy, and some sort of imagined or actual public function. The concept drives what happens next; scale, shape, textures, colors, materiality, the illumination, a visual narrative, etc. There is always a wide range of outcomes. I like it this way; it somehow ensures invention, mystery and new directions.

LAND studio creates places and fosters equitable communities in Cleveland through transformative public art, innovative design, collaborative planning, dynamic programming, and creative placemaking.

Our vision is to make Cleveland a city filled with vibrant, textured places that unite, inspire, and enrich its people.