Rust Belt Requiem

About Rust Belt Requiem

With its nod to America’s industrial history, Darryl Lauster’s clever assemblage of components creates an intriguing abstract outdoor sculpture. Inspired by the combine art of American artist, Robert Rauschenberg, Lauster’s use of industrial objects includes pieces from storied companies such as the Pierce Arrow factory, Bethlehem Steel, Christian Brothers and the Spencer Lens Company. Composed of steel, cast iron and aluminum with pops of glossy red paint, the piece stands 9 feet tall and includes a range of industrial objects–levers, speakers, a microscope and even several hockey sticks.

“The salvaged components of (America’s) industrial history are recomposed to imply an abstract monument of potential energy.” Darryl Lauster

He obtained his BFA at San Diego State University in California and an MFA at the University of Houston in Texas. Lauster is a published writer and an intermedia artist whose work includes sculpture, video and live performance art. He is currently a professor of sculpture at the University of Texas in Arlington. He was a recipient of the prestigious Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant for Painters and Sculptors in 2010. Lauster has exhibited throughout the U.S. and in Berlin, Paris, London and in the Netherlands. His work is held in both private and public collections including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.