Michael Grothusen
Michael Grothusen is an associate professor of Sculpture at UArts. “My sculpture is diverse in terms of scale, scope, and content,” he says. “I make objects, temporary site-specific installations and have completed two permanent public commissions for the city of Philadelphia. Each genre has its own unique intentions, audiences, and outcomes.
“Some works are deliberate conversation starters. Others are intended to de-emphasize written and spoken language in an attempt to focus attention on the present tense aspect of viewing the work. The main reason I make sculpture is the tactile, formal, and kinetic possibilities. One consistent goal is to make finished works that have nuances that don’t translate to second-hand viewing experiences.”
Biography
Michael Grothusen’s work has been exhibited locally, regionally and nationally, at institutions including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia International Airport, and the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, Old School at Crane Arts, and the Philadelphia Art Alliance, all in Philadelphia, and at Michener Art Museum, Doylestown, Pennsylvania. His solo exhibitions have been held at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Gallery 114 in Portland, Oregon; Drexel University, Philadelphia; Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Gallery Joe, Philadelphia. Grothusen has completed two permanent public commissions for the city of Philadelphia. He earned a BFA in Sculpture from the University of Kansas in 1988 and an MFA from Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, in 1991. Additionally, Grothusen studied at Brighton Polytechnic, England, and Skowhegan School of Art, Madison, Maine.
Experience
In the summer of 2022, Grothusen and seven UArts students traveled to Greece to view ancient archaeological sites in Athens and Delphi and then spent 10 days on the island of Skopelos making art in response to their travels. In his spare time, he likes to snowboard, cycle and sail his Hobie Cat on Barnegat Bay with his kids.
Visit Michael Grothuysen’s website.
Awards & Accolades
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Grothusen is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including three Individual Artists Fellowships from the Pennsylvania State Council on the Arts and the Pollock-Krasner Foundation.
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In 1998, he was awarded a Pew Fellowship for sculpture.
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Recent exhibitions include the 8th Beijing International in Biennial at the National Museum of China, a two-person exhibition at Bucks County Community College, Newtown, Pennsylvania, and a one-person show at the Goodyear Gallery at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
I teach because I always remember what it was like to be young, naive and inexperienced. In the exchange between student and teacher, I always love the moment when a door is opened and a new ‘before’ and ‘after’ exists in terms of understanding and experience.“
