Artist Talk with Christopher Fennell
October 14 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Join us at the Ann Arbor Art Center (A2AC) for an artist talk with sculptor Christopher Fennell on Wednesday, October 14, at 6:00 PM.
Fennell will share insights into his broader public art practice, which transforms discarded and found objects into dynamic, large-scale sculptures, and discuss the fabrication process behind his latest installation, “Three Ladder Fire.”
Created for Ann Arbor’s new Fire Station 4 using decommissioned ladders from the Ann Arbor Fire Department, the 24-foot tall sculpture twists retired equipment into a sculpted flame, honoring both the history of the fire service and the building's status as Michigan's first Net-Zero fire station.
ABOUT CHRISTOPHER FENNELL
“Sculpture is a visual language. Using recycled materials is not only a powerful image about our choices, but also connects the audience to the artwork through their own personal experiences with those materials.”
Artist Christopher Fennell builds structural skeletons from discarded or found objects. The materials he chooses have been cast out or devalued by society and so his selections are based on the kind of message or impact each piece should convey. This is how a demolished barn can become a wave, broken bicycles transform into a tornado, and downed trees can be given a second life as a pillar of fire.
Chris’s creative inspiration comes from two places: engineering and art. His background in engineering provides a singular understanding of how the materials can be formed, shaped and connected into a structure. His vision as an artist and his sense of humor bring the parts together in a form that is not only pleasing, but often thought-provoking and dynamic, challenging the viewer to look past the recognizable shape to see how everything is connected.
Many of Chris’s pieces encourage people to participate, to place themselves inside or to pass underneath and through, seeing the form from several angles. Each piece is site-specific, taking advantage of the surrounding landscape and architecture and often incorporating regional or cultural hallmarks. The placement of every piece of sculpture is carefully selected for the maximum effect of discovery and scale.
Presented in partnership with
RELATED
Ann Arbor Fire Department decommissioned ladders will transform into art for new Fire Station No. 4
A2Gov - Sep 21, 2026
The City of Ann Arbor is announcing the upcoming addition of “Three Ladder Fire,” a public art installation at new Fire Station No. 4, 2415 Huron Parkway. The 24-foot tall, 8-foot wide sculpture is built with decommissioned ladders from the Ann Arbor Fire Department. The artwork was funded through the Fire Station No. 4 construction budget as part of the city’s ongoing commitment to integrating public art into civic projects.
