Senior Art Major Jonathan Andersen Presents:

Archival Architecture: An Exploration of Housing and Materiality through Sculpture

a Solo Exhibition

This exhibition is a result of the project, “Archival Architecture: An Exploration of Housing and Materiality through Sculpture,” which I completed this summer. I began this project by creating models out of paper and cardboard, based on paintings of housing in the CSB+SJU Permanent Collections. I was able to expand and experiment with media I was familiar with. I then discovered concrete casting. My focus shifted toward how concrete is used to take up space in both art and architecture.

I continued with the theme of housing when I switched to using concrete. I created a set of columns as well as a group of triangular houses. From there, I focused on a more specific element of architectural design, stairs. Here, I learned the most about mold making and concrete casting. I was also able to experiment with color, using concrete dye. After a pour, I left some concrete in the bucket for too long, which resulted in a large pink landscape. This happy accident inspired me to create more landscapes that I will expand on this year. The last piece I made is the large set of stairs in the center of the gallery. One side shows the reuse of concrete from previous pours. The other side was cast in wood, inspired by the architecture on campus, utilizing wood-cast concrete.

-Jonathan Andersen

Jonathan’s work can be viewed in the Exit Gallery at the SJU Art Center. The show will be open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and will run through September 12, 2025.