Wes Heiss
Primary Medium: Installation
Other media: Sculpture
Wes Heiss Studio
Website: http://wesheiss.com/
Artist Statement
Almost always site-specific and often room-size in scale; much of my work only becomes fully activated when a viewer enters a space. The question of what is being seen and experienced is integral to the works' conceptual foundation. It is the uncertainty of what the piece actually is that takes up a central role in grasping both the intent and meaning. In some cases, the works exist independent of a greater context and in others, the pieces operate in an experientially narrative structure.
Trained as an architect, my fascination with the relationship between form and function is ever present. The pieces themselves perform work in a way not too distant from their design. This focus on function, as well as potential, is often extended in directions that are simultaneously absurd, fantastic, obsessive, humorous and darkly prophetic; illuminating in the process our continual quest to seek meaning in the world.
Other media: Sculpture
Wes Heiss Studio
Website: http://wesheiss.com/
Artist Statement
Almost always site-specific and often room-size in scale; much of my work only becomes fully activated when a viewer enters a space. The question of what is being seen and experienced is integral to the works' conceptual foundation. It is the uncertainty of what the piece actually is that takes up a central role in grasping both the intent and meaning. In some cases, the works exist independent of a greater context and in others, the pieces operate in an experientially narrative structure.
Trained as an architect, my fascination with the relationship between form and function is ever present. The pieces themselves perform work in a way not too distant from their design. This focus on function, as well as potential, is often extended in directions that are simultaneously absurd, fantastic, obsessive, humorous and darkly prophetic; illuminating in the process our continual quest to seek meaning in the world.
Selected Works
|  Under Contract - 2010 - Steel ducts, blower, lamp, electronics - Variable  Under Contract - 2010 - Steel ducts, blower, lamps, electronics - Variable  Under Contract - 2010 - Steel ducts, blower, lamps, electronics - Variable  Under Contract - 2010 - Steel ducts, blower, lamps, electronics - Variable  Under Contract - 2010 - Steel ducts, blower, lamps, electronics - Variable  Under Contract - 2010 - Steel ducts, blower, lamps, electronics - Variable  Husk - 2007 - Steel, electronic - Variable  Suburban - 2005 - Mixed media - Variable Interactive sculptural installation. Stand over an “x” and the puppy inflates, step off and it empties.  Suburban - 2005 - Mixed media - Variable  Inside Walk - 2009 - Mixed media - Variable |
Artist Bio
education/residency
2004 SKOWHEGAN SCHOOL OF SCULPTURE & PAINTING Skowhegan, Maine
1996-2000 RICE UNIVERSITY Houston, Texas
Masters in Architecture
1992-1996 BENNINGTON COLLEGE Bennington, Vermont
Bachelor of Arts, Architecture/Ceramics
solo shows
2007 expected “surface tension” Arlington Museum, Arlington, Texas
“husk” Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY
2005 “suburban” Museum of Fine Arts Houston Glassell School Project Space
2004 “insidewalk” Project Row Houses Round 20.
“uh-oh” Dramos Studios Houston, Texas
“twice removed” Dramos Studios Houston, Texas
Fotofest04 Multimedia installation. In collaboration with Joe Meppelink
2003 “down” Art League Houston Gala, 3 channel video installation
“transvision” Lawndale Art Center, Houston, Texas
group shows
2006 “Next Next Wave” Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY. Curated by Dan Cameron
“5 x 7” ArtHouse, Austin, TX
“drawing inside/out” Lawndale Art Center, Curated by Michelle White
2005 “Fireball” Glasstire Gala and Auction, Houston, TX
”Affair @ the Jupiter Hotel” Portland,OR
“Artadia @ DiverseWorks” DiverseWorks Art Space
“New American Talent 20” ArtHouse, Austin, TX. Curated by Dan Cameron
“5 x 7” ArtHouse, Austin, TX
2004 “the first law” temporary installations for Project Row Houses Festival
“Suitcase Series: Houston” Lab Gallery, 501 Lexington Ave NY, NY
“Blue Star 19” BlueStar Art Center, San Antonio, TX. Curated by Lynn Herbert.
1999 “miasma 5” Menil Collection, Houston, Texas
18 minute one channel video installation made in collaboration with Michael
Morrow for Lars Lerup/Sohela Farokhi's show entitled “room”
employment (selected)
2006 LEHIGH UNIVERSITY Bethlehem, PA. Professor of Practice in Design Arts
JOHN TORREANO New York, NY Artist assistant
SHADI + COMPANY New York, NY Product Designer/Project Manager
2004-2005 NORTH ART SPACE Houston, Texas. Architectural Consultant/Project Manager
2000-2005 RICE UNIVERSITY Houston, Texas
Visiting Lecturer. Wortham Fellow 2000-2001.
2001-2002 GENSLER Architecture and planning worldwide Houston, Texas
Design, visualization and presentation work. Projects including multiple hotels, the Halliburton campus, and Schlumberger research facilities.
1993 MAXWELL WEANER, VIOLIN MAKER Holmes, New York
Apprentice to master violin maker. Hands on experience building and repairing violins and other stringed instruments.
1991-1992 RICHARD GEREG New Milford, Connecticut
Auto body technician. Restored 1960s Volvos.
awards
2004 Creative Capital Foundation Grant Finalist
Artadia: The Fund for Art and Dialogue grant. Houston Winner
Dallas Museum of Art. Kimbrough Fund Grant
Skowhegan School of Sculpture and Painting Scholarship
MacDowell Colony Artist residency. (refused) Summer 2004
CACHH Individual Artist Project Grant
2003 Creative Capital/DiverseWorks Artist's retreat
Artadia: The Fund for Art and Dialogue grant. Houston Finalist.
2000 Winning entry to iMage “The Future and The City” Architecture Film festival
Florence, Italy
1999 John Crowder Traveling Fellowship, Rice University
Finalist. Acadia Architecture Competition: A library for the Information Age
1998 Visionary Award, Rice University
1996-2000 Full Scholarship, Rice University
bibliography
NEW AMERICAN Catalog. Essay by Dan Cameron. 2005
TALENT 20
ARTADIA @ Catalog. Essay by Amada Cruz. 2005
DIVERSEWORKS
GLASSTIRE “New York Report” by Marisa White
http://glasstire.com/reviews/other/NYC_04.htm
SAN ANTONIO EXP. “Blue Star 19” by Dan R Goddard. 11.21.04
HOUSTON PRESS “On the House” by John Devine. 8.26.04
http://www.houstonpress.com/issues/2004-08-26/culture/art.html
HOUSTON PRESS “Life Row” by Scott Faingold Augus