Mornings, at mid-morning break, at noon and after school, the streets and parks of Spinut are filled with high school students. Long lines move through bakeries for a slice of pizza, a doughnut or other snack. I have been struck by these guys and their presentations of self. A certain swagger, an identifiable uniform of black Adidas, hoodie, puffer jacker or vest. Their collective presence in the neighborhood is monumental.
The series of small sculptures, The Kings of Spinut, reflects on this transient presence in the city of Split. As in many cities, images of icons are archetypes are reflected in public sculpture and architecture.
I wanted to give some of the same acknowledgement to this demographic through the public installation of the Kings in the places where they circulate on a daily basis. The objects for me reflect the simultaneous qualities of an expansive and a precarious presence. The diminutive stature of the Kings asks us to regard their presence and to be slightly protective of them as elements of a city in transition.
