Roger Feldman graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Art Education. He then studied theology at Fuller Seminary for one year, but he chose to return to Seattle and set up a studio. After working for a couple years, he attended Claremont Graduate University and received an MFA in Sculpture (1977). He is the recipient of numerous grants, including an NEA Individual Artist Fellowship Grant in Sculpture (1986), and awards, such as the Prescott Award in Sculpture (CIVA National Conference, 2005). Feldman maintains a very extensive website, which includes more bibliographic materials and also many images of his work.
Perhaps more than any other feature of his work, I am drawn to the way that one can walk inside Feldman’s sculptures. He often describes his work as a coordinated kinesthetic, visual and sonic experience. These sculptures require more than a viewer; they need a mover. Many of his sculptures seem to me like tracks that take a person on a path, or like alien artefacts that Feldman invites us to explore and discover.
Feldman’s sculptures are typically site-specific. By ‘site-specific’ I mean that his sculptures respond to and are appropriate for the settings in which they are made. I regret that I am unable to write about his work in a more ‘informed’ way; that is, from experience. But I would encourage our viewers to visit and ‘try out’ one of Feldman’s sculptures, if time and geographic space permits. I certainly hope to some day.
There are also strong philosophical and religious undercurrents running throughout Feldman’s work. I have chosen to show several images on Transpositions that have a resonance with Christian theology. But Feldman’s interests extend beyond Christianity and into many other domains of human thought. Much of his recent work explores the reality of living in a complex and religiously pluralistic world. As his recent installation at Wheaton College suggests, such a world is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate.
I encourage you to spend some time with Feldman’s work. Please have a look at his website. Also you can see a video about his project EKKO currently underway in Scotland. I have posted several images of Feldman’s work below.