Wilmette Tower
For the City of Wilmette
Wilmette Jr High School
Wilmette, IL
2004, 2005
Steel, sculpted jade glass, neon light
Dimensions variable
In 2004 and 2005, James Brenner collaborated with Wilmette Middle School to design and plan the Wilmette Tower, Wilmette Tower II, and Stratified Elements sculptures. Brenner worked closely with a small group of students to assess the sculpture sites, review considerations for the sculptures, and tailor the artworks to the needs and desires of the students in the school. This resulted in two maquette and a video outlining the final ideas. Upon completion, the maquettes and video were shown to the student body, who voted to choose the final design.
Each sculpture has 40 layers of half inch plate steel and hand-sculpted jade glass with neon lighting. In addition to the student-involved planning and design process, Brenner taught a sculpture workshop with Wilmette art students. This workshop culminated in a bronze pour, where he cast the students' artwork on-site with his portable foundry.
