Design Fugitives
Rays Over Wisconsin
Rays Over Wisconsin is an aerial sculpture fabricated from acrylic, aluminum and dichroic film. Inspired by the water of the Great Lakes, it serves a tribute to the importance of Lake Michigan to the city and state as a hub of activity.
Design Fugitives partner Tuan Tran says Rays Over Wisconsin features five layers as a nod to the five Great Lakes.
“Water is very important to a lot of the activities in the area. The different layers, and the rays shooting out from them, is representative of the form waves take. They also speak to the energy of the city of Milwaukee and the vibrancy that it has now.”
The space where Rays Over Wisconsin would be hung in Baird Center played a large part in the piece’s design. Surrounded by large windows that allow for an abundance of natural light, Design Fugitives wanted to make sure that the work would play off the light coming in during different parts of the day and different times of the year.
“There is all of this glass around the piece,” Tuan says. “So, we thought about how there needed to be vibrant colors to reflect the light. That is why we incorporated a lot of color into the fins. On a good spring or fall day with a low sun, this piece is really going to pop and liven up the space a lot.”
The goal of Rays of Wisconsin is for visitors to enjoy the piece, but hopefully take the time to reflect a bit more on Milwaukee.
“Milwaukee and Wisconsin have such an important role in the Great Lakes region,” according to Tuan. “When visitors see the piece, we hope they think beyond it and recognize what this building represents to the community and its future.”
About Design Fugitives
Design Fugitives is commercial art studio based in St. Francis, Wisconsin. Their mission is to elevate generic spaces with inspirational site-specific sculptures. The studio leverages their expertise in materials, software, and fabrication methods to create pieces that are unique and distinctive. With access to the latest tools and technology they are able to translate the client’s vision into works of imagination and artistry.
The Design Fugitives team consists of partners Tuan Tran who works on the research and development and Justin White who is responsible for the design fabrication and production manager, Ben Rogers. According to Tran, Design Fugitives is able to take large spaces designed for the gathering of many people and bring it down to a more human scale for a more grounded experience through their pieces.
Design Fugitives portfolio consists of sculptures created for the Rosedale Mall in Roseville, MN, Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, The School Sisters of St. Francis in Milwaukee, WI, Tamdeen Development in Kuwait and Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Design Fugitives was the recipient of the 2015 Coda Worx Merit Award for the top Liturgical design of the year.
Tuan Tran and Justin White both hold Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
