BURNING RUBBER. Perci Chester’s sculpture “Squealies for Wheelies” is the largest, most colorful piece in the Chicago Sculpture International show at UW-Eau Claire’s Foster Gallery.

The Foster Art Gallery will be hosting a new show entitled “CSI: Themes in Contemporary Sculpture.” The invitational exhibition is composed of works done by members of the Chicago Sculpture International. A part of the International Sculpture Center, the CSI seeks to advance the understating and creation of sculpture as a unique and important part of society, and members seek to accomplish this with their traveling exhibits.

The sculpture show will feature a wide variety of sculptures made from different materials, sure to satisfy any critic. The materials range from more traditional forms, such as bronze, wood and steel to 3D printing, fiberglass, neon light, homemade paper, and even conceptual mixed media. The exhibition will feature 23 works from CSI artists along with 50 other contributing works.

The sculpture show’s themes are focused on informing viewers about relevant social issues. The show’s curator, UW-Eau Claire sculpture professor Cedar Marie, wanted to bring the exhibition to Eau Claire as a way to engage the community in a dialogue to advance the art form.

“All of the work in the exhibition is outstanding because of its craft and also for its conceptual rigor.” – Cedar Marie, UWEC sculpture professor and curator of “CSI: Themes in Contemporary Sculpture

“The Foster Gallery is also a teaching gallery,” she said. “The works in the exhibition aim to broaden our view and appreciation of contemporary sculpture, and provide an opportunity to educate our students, the university, and the greater Eau Claire community on some of today’s diverse themes and trends in contemporary art.”

Marie said that what makes the show beautiful is it doesn’t conform to society’s narrow view of beauty, but it instead uses the art form to educate on important social and cultural issues.

“For instance, Patricia Bruchin’s ‘Maize Giant’ is beautiful not only because it is rooted in the historical bronze cast figure, but also because it speaks to the very real concerns of hardworking farmers, a theme that is resonant to this region,” she said. Another example is the piece “Factory Farm” by Victoria Fuller, which is themed around the effects of human exploitation of nature.

“All of the work in the exhibition is outstanding because of its craft and also for its conceptual rigor,” Marie said.

Some pieces to especially keep an eye out for, according to Marie, are “Squealies for Wheelies” – a playful and delightful piece by Perci Chester and the largest, most colorful piece in the show – and works done by Donna Hapac and Stephen Klassen, for their quiet yet powerful use of materials.

“CSI: Themes in Contemporary Sculpture” will run from Oct. 22 through Nov. 24 in the Foster Gallery at Haas Fine Arts Center at UW-Eau Claire.