May 22, 2018

Gordon Newton, Wheel of Fortune, 1972.

Wheel of Fortune is a kinetic, lively sculpture by the well-known Detroit Cass Corridor artist, Gordon Newton. When Newton turned from the medium of paint to sculpture, he sought to construct a sense of physicality though unconventional materials, often out of “found objects,” as most of the Cass Corridor artists notoriously recycled into their art. The large gear at the facade of the sculpture is made of plywood with leather spokes. Produced in Detroit, the movable gear and rest of the composition seem to pay homage to the industrial history of the city. As noted by the art critic and author Marsha Miro, however, Newton was strikingly fascinated by games of chance, hence the title, Wheel of Fortune. Could perhaps one find in this artwork a correlation between chance and Detroit’s industrial fate? Speculation aside, Wheel of Fortune is a fun and interactive sculpture that encompasses the oeuvre of Newton in is early Cass Corridor days. The artwork can be seen in person inside the David Adamany Undergraduate Library at Wayne State University.

Gordon Newton moved to Detroit in 1969 to study at the Society of Arts and Crafts (now College for Creative Studies), and later finished his studies at Wayne State University. He is a major figure of the original Cass Corridor movement of the 1960s and 70s, and overall of Detroit’s art history. His work has been displayed at a number of institutions, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Written by Danielle Cervera Bidigare

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