April 23, 2018

David Barr, Structurist Relief #123, 1976. Acrylic on Masonite.

Although geometric and hard-edged, David Barr’s structurist works actually draw inspiration from nature. In Structurist Relief #123, as with many of Barr’s works, he explores the effects of the interaction between light, color, and the topographical rises and falls of the structure. In his artistic career, Barr had constructed a visual vocabulary that includes these elements in addition to concepts of space/time as a way to reflect and reveal the “realities” of nature that otherwise go unnoticed or invisible.

Barr was originally enrolled in Wayne State’s engineering program. When he realized he lacked a passion for the engineering career he was headed toward, he found his way to the art building on campus where he was immediately inspired and encouraged to pursue a life in the arts. After graduating with a BFA in industrial design, Barr continued to produce works that fell within his own personal and theoretical value system. He credits the writings and works of the American abstract artist Charles Biederman to have influenced many of his own theories and concepts, ultimately leading him to become fascinated with forms and “realities” of the natural universe. In 1977, he left his Detroit studio of fifteen years to be closer to nature- his major source of inspiration. He bought four acres of rural land just outside the city in what is now Novi, Michigan. In 1995, Barr founded Michigan Legacy Art Park located in northern Michigan. This non-profit organization strives to share “the stories of people, events and natural resources that continue to shape the legacy of Michigan.”

Written by Danielle Cervera Bidigare

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