Untitled
Artist
John Piet
(American, 1946 - 2016)
Daten.d.
MediumWelded steel
Dimensions65 1/8 × 18 × 15 in. (165.4 × 45.7 × 38.1 cm)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineGift of Gary Eleinko, 2022
Object numberUAC7277
DescriptionJohn Piet (1946-2016) was a significant Detroit-area artist and educator who specialized in metal sculpture. Piet received his BFA and MFA at the Society of Arts and Crafts (now the College for Creative Studies) and Wayne State University, respectively, and was a central figure amongst the Cass Corridor artists during the 1970s. In keeping with the ethos of the collective, Piet explained the impact of Midwest industrialism on his artistic practice: “Powerful influences came from the character of the streets, factories and the music of Detroit. It is here where I can draw ideas from a wealth of technology and raw materials.” Untitled, a massive, welded steel sculpture measuring 65 1/8” × 18” × 15”, consists of an upright triangular sheet with two smaller forms affixed near its base. A sense of precariousness characterizes the sculpture, as the elongated triangle is steadied only by a small foot at its obtuse angle and the grounding of another sharp point. Yet, one L-shaped tendril spirals above, anchored at the plane’s edges; three-dimensional and buoyant, it provides relief for the towering structure. These formal relationships introduce a dynamism—the spiral seems to be embracing the triangle, perhaps lifting it up; accompanied by this spiral, the triangle appears much lighter and may even glide effortlessly through space. These sorts of dynamic interactions often mark Piet’s play with geometric abstraction in his sculptures and works on paper.
Piet has several large-scale installations in public spaces across Detroit and surrounding cities and his sculptures and works on paper are housed in numerous institutional and private collections. During his lifetime, he was awarded grants and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Michigan Council of the Arts, the Ford Foundation, as well as a key to the City of Detroit. Beyond his own practice, Piet supported fellow artists and nourished the local art scene throughout his decades-long career in education; from 1976 to 2011, he worked as a professor at Macomb Community College. Most recently, Piet’s work and legacy has been highlighted by the College for Creative Studies’ Center Galleries exhibition Passage of Knowledge: A History of the CCS Foundry, on view through January 31, 2025.
Written by Sarah Teppen
1 https://aadl.org/node/200083
2 https://www.ouartgallery.org/exhibitions/new-acquisitions-and-selections-from-the-collection/?form=MG0AV3
3https://pocketsights.com/tours/place/Diversity-45095:5585
4https://artcollection.wayne.edu/picture-of-the-week/john-piet-ten-minutes-early-820-1976-78-painted-galvanized-steel-and-wood-61825?form=MG0AV3
5 https://collectoranonymous.com/not-so-anonymous/todd-erickson-and-passage-of-knowledge
6https://www.ccsdetroit.edu/ccs-event/passage-of-knowledge-a-history-of-the-ccs-foundry/
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