Kaleidoscope
Jonathan Burger
Listen to the audio track description.
Kaleidoscope is a twelve foot tall figure made of 304 stainless steel butterflies. The artwork references the yearly migration of the Monarch, and their survival technique of roosting together in trees to survive temperature drops. While individually the monarch would not be able to live through the winter, by combining their body heat, they are able to weather it. This same technique is used by us humans on a grander scale, by creating societies that allow us to pool our resources and help each other. It is only through this process of pooling resources and acting as a community that we advance our societies to this point, and continue to advance them in the future.
About the artist
Jonathan Burger is a studio and public artist residing in New Bern, North Carolina. He creates art in a variety of mediums, including metal, wood, concrete, and paint. He alternates his studio time between conceptual work and functional pieces, and takes a variety of commissions from public and private entities. Much of his conceptual works focus on concepts from metaphysics and epistemology, examining aspects of human thought about itself.
Outside of studio time Jonathan works as the Executive Director for Craven Arts Council & Gallery, and enjoys spoiling his dogs with his wife artist Rachel Pettigrew Burger. He also teaches classes in woodworking and welding for Shop Class New Bern.
Jonathan also created a sculpture titled Hope for the third installation of the Underwater Museum of Art. A joint project between the Cultural Arts Alliance and the South Walton Artificial Reef Association. The museum is the nation’s first permanent underwater sculpture park and is located less than a mile from the shore of Grayton Beach State Park along Scenic Highway 30A.
https://www.jburgerstudio.com/
