Photos By Diane Anderson

Laumeier Sculpture Park Hosts David Hutson’s Neon Art Exhibit

Laumeier Sculpture Park’s 2018 Kranzberg Exhibition Series presents Memory & Desire: A Personal Exploration of Neon Art, Past and Present, by St. Louis artist David Hutson. The exhibition features newly created, original works by the artist, alongside 14 neon signs resurrected and renovated from such iconic local businesses as Big Boy’s Restaurant, Bang’s Ice Cream, Saratoga Bowl in Maplewood, Curlee Clothing downtown, and Klund’s Bakery. It will be on view in Laumeier’s Aronson Fine Arts Center until January 13, 2019.

Laumeier has also commissioned a new large-scale neon sculpture by Hutson, When I Rise, 2018 to be sited on a towering tree in Laumeier’s Way Field, casting a cool glow across the Park’s landscape. The text-based work wraps around the tree trunk, cascading a quote by celebrated American novelist Wendell Berry. “Using the power and inspiration of nature, Hutson’s piece is a delightful addition to our light-based sculpture collection. His work highlights our past and represents a possible future, simultaneously,” noted Laumeier Curator Dana Turkovic.

David Hutson is a neon artist with a specialization in theater production. He has exhibited his artwork nationally and is a consultant for internationally renowned theatrical productions. Hutson lectures extensively about his collection of restored vintage neon signs and serves on numerous historic preservation commissions with a focus on the care and maintenance of objects related to Historic Route 66. Hutson lives in St. Louis and owns Neon Time in St. Charles, where he creates his own work and restores neon signs.