Rojek's “Breeze Keeper” is a field-like expanse of 64 counter-balanced aluminum prairie images that sway with the wind. Over the course of the next year, people of all ages will be invited to share their personal stories of inspiration, which will be translated by the artist into additional symbolic images. Many of these stories will be those of students and visitors to EAC.
In essence, “Breeze Keeper” will become an homage to the collective ambitions and aspirations of people of all ages, but more importantly it will illustrate how our goals change over time. The piece will lyrically explore what is interesting to a 5 year old in comparison to a teenager or a person experiencing mid-life. True to its title, “Breeze Keeper” will literally become a keeper of stories as we “shoot the breeze” about our lives."
Every year, the Evanston Art Center invites an artist to create a site-specific installation for its front lawn as part of its well-established program Sculpture on the Grounds. The continuation of this series has provided interactive outdoor art for the public to enjoy, and the most recent installation will further the EAC’s mission to introduce new thought-provoking works by a diverse range of artists and to make contemporary art more accessible to Evanston and the surrounding communities. For the 2012-2013 season, the EAC presents the installation of “Breeze Keeper,” a sculpture by Christine Rojek. The piece will consist of wind-activated elements that are suspended from four frames representing the Illinois landscape. “Breeze Keeper” is comprised of 64 aluminum prairie flowers plus 12 unexpected symbolic images. Measuring 15 feet at its tallest point and stretching 35 feet across the Art Center grounds, the sculpture will make a striking impression on both observers and passersby.