MEET THE ARTIST "GRAY MATTER" BY MICHAEL MCGINNIS

Michael McGinnis Sculpture at Sebastopol Regional Library

 The  newly installed work by Michael McGinnis, titled “Gray Matter”, an 8’ diameter hemispherical structure, is located on the south face of the Sebastopol Library building. This work was selected from a group of over 20 proposals submitted by California artists. With Sebastopol’s interest in art as a whole and a desire for community involvement, the City’s Public Arts Committee selected three finalists who were asked to submit maquettes for public view and input. The maquettes were placed on display in the library and later presented to the public for comment at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. After consideration of public input, the committee selected Michael’s work. Upon presentation to the City Council, the artwork and funding was approved. Throughout the process, the public had opportunity to engage. This was an important part of the process for the City, who wants public buy-in.

“Gray Matter” is both a pun on the message and materiality of the sculpture; it is of course made of gray stainless steel, carefully and meticulously hand sanded to follow the contours of the complex metal structure. It’s also about the human capacity for knowledge. The public library as a concept is not only an invitation for all to source vetted information, it is an extremely important icon of the right to intellectual freedom. The work is meant to aesthetically enhance the building structure, draw the eye into the sculpture’s interwoven pathways, and to let the viewer relish in its complexity. Complex issues require complex understanding - a concept that must be reinforced in all levels of our society.

On the day the sculpture was being installed, Michael spoke to an older gentleman observing with his two very young grandchildren - they had just exited the library. Michael asked the little boys, “What do you think that is?”. One boy replied, “Is it artwork?” “Yes”, said Michael, “but what do you think it looks like?” The grandfather offered his idea: “It looks like a brain!”. Michael responded, “it’s called Gray Matter.” The grandfather finished by saying, “Gray matter is what are brains are made out of. Let’s keep going to the library and see if our brains can grow that big!”