
WISH TO FLY
Artist: James McDermid
Though born in Chicago, IL, McDermid now lives in Rome, NY. He was a Resident at Sculpture Space in 1976, 1977, 1979, and 1987 and is well known as an established sculptor long associated with the Munson Williams Proctor School of Art. For the Griffiss project, McDermid chose to carve a wood sculpture, on location. His preference was to use a hollow tree log “so that the inner hollow space will be an active part of the design. “ About the location McDermid says, “It seems to me that the history of Griffiss has been about flight and its supportive technology. I would like to carve an abstract sculpture suggestive of flight, using metaphors – aspects of bird, wing, plane, and space. Lines that suggest speed, energy, and force will fracture and create illusions. I want the sculpture to avoid being grandiose by having imagery blend and weave together.”