John Medwedeff waxes the surface of the steel sculpture “Prow” installed outside of Gallery 210 at UMSL. (Photo by John Medwedeff)
The work of nationally noted sculptor and metalsmith John Medwedeff will be the focus of the next exhibit at the University of Missouri–St. Louis’s Gallery 210.
The solo exhibition will feature selected sculptures, design maquettes, drawings and photographs for large-scale projects. It will offer a comprehensive overview of Medwedeff’s 25-year career as an artist and metalsmith. He has won several national and international competitions for public art and has his sculptures prominently displayed throughout the state and nation.
The exhibit will open to the public Feb. 7 with a reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Medwedeff will give a gallery talk at 6:15 p.m. The show will be on display through April 13. The event is free and open to the public.
In addition to large-scale sculptures, most about 20-feet tall, Medwedeff and his crew create architectural metal works ranging from new designs to repair and replacement of classic metal works. At any given time, the staff can be working on several different projects.
Medwedeff’s work is influenced by the landscapes and rivers from his youth in Tennessee and adult life in the Midwest.
At 19 years old he began a three-year blacksmithing apprenticeship with James Wallace at the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, Tenn., and afterwards earned his MFA degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.
The exhibition is supported in part by grants from the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council with additional assistance from The Center for the Humanities at UMSL.
Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or by appointment.
