The First Dance of Trees - Detroit, MI
N 42° 19.727 W 083° 02.719
17T E 331482 N 4688308
Car part sculpture located in lobby of a skyscraper in downtown Detroit, Michigan.
Waymark Code: WM16WPN
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 10/19/2022
Views: 2
The First Dance of Trees is located in the main entrance lobby of the
One Woodward Avenue building fittingly at 1 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226. It was created by John Chamberlain in 1986. It is 213 x 274 x 152 cm made of painted and chromium-plated steel.
The informational placard next to the sculpture reads:
"John Chamberlain made his first sculpture using discarded automobile parts in 1957. Recognizing the artistic potential of two rusting Ford fenders, he repeatedly ran over the forms with his truck until he was satisfied with their transformation. Chamberlain's distinct and radical approach challenged the notion of sculpture and transformed his prolific career. Born in 1927 in Rochester, Indiana, Chamberlain was raised in Chicago. He briefly attended the Art Institute of Chicago, choosing to leave because he considered the curriculum too conservative. He then went on to study and teach sculpture at Black Mountain College in North Carolina In 1956, Chamberlain went to New York where he immersed himself in a circle of bohemian artists and intellectuals.
Chamberlain freely experimented with other materials throughout his career but continually returned to auto parts. He viewed the material as a practical choice for its
availability, and found inspiration in the cheerful automotive paint colors. The process of collecting the parts was also fundamental as Chamberlain reveled in their discovery.
For his monumental forms, he used the modern technique of assemblage and collage on a magnified scale. The "found" objects of fenders, fins, hoods, and bumpers were
forcibly smashed, twisted, and welded together to construct individual sculptures whose beauty contrasts with the industrial origins of the materials.
The First Dance of Trees is an imposing and monumental sculpture constructed in two parts. The heavy, sturdy base of the sculpture becomes a series of dense tree trunks. Vertically-assembled metal parts are crushed and welded together in a tight formation that seemingly defy their potential for manipulation. Horizontal scraps sit atop of the base, and the crinkled and clustered nature of the forms recalls a canopy of leaves, suggesting the title of the sculpture. Viewers experience the sculpture in the round. discovering the physicality that was endured to construct the compact form of jagged-edged parts. The immense sculpture embodies a commanding presence and
exemplifies Chamberlain's position as a three-dimensional Abstract Expressionist.