'Descending Night' is a public art sculpture done by artist Jack Howard-Potter. This sculpture depicts a winged female figure and is featured in the Elmwood Park Art Walk among many other works of public art . Potter took inspiration from the many works displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and eventually sculpted 'Defending Night' out of steel. “Descending Night came out of my study of works from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and embodies the natural city theme in its depiction of a winged female figure. Artists have given human figures animal elements for thousands of years and bringing the natural non-human world into the arts allows us to explore our own feelings and alleviate the feeling of the modern cities in which we live and how they can feel constrained and overwhelming. This figure gives us hope that we can elevate ourselves to rise above the trappings of humanity and ascend into a more natural state of being.”
About the artist:
Jack Howard-Potter grew up in New York City where he was inspired by the public sculpture of Alexander Calder, George Ricky and various performance, dance, and artistic exposure. He earned a BA in Art History and Sculpture from Union College and has been making and displaying his original sculpture since 1996. Howard-Potter resides in New York City with his wife, Erica, and is a member of the board of trustees for the Elisa Monte Dance Company where he continues sketch rehearsals and draw inspiration from the dancers. He is an active cyclist and lives with his wife and two children. Visit his website at steelstatue.com
