OTTO B . RIGAN

BACKGROUND

Although Otto Rigan was trained as a painter, he has pursued many broad-ranging and cross-disciplinary projects throughout his career. While still in college he completed his first large-scale public commission. In his early twenties he apprenticed to a master architectural glass craftsman. In his late twenties he wrote and photographed four books and lectured widely on their subjects.

It wasn’t until Otto Rigan was in his early 30’s did he begin to develop the sculpture for which he is most noted. His interest in the temporal medium of glass –and how it manipulates light- and the permanence –and density- of stone merged into a series of sculptural explorations that continue to this day.

Mr. Rigan splits his time between making studio-based autonomous works and applying his "way of seeing" to public and corporate spaces. Often the larger commissions merge architectural, landscape and other disciplines as an extension of the Artist’s palette. Recently he has started an Architectural practice in addition to his other studio activities.

TOSCO CORPORATION Phoenix Headquarters. A sequence of five sculptures in the entry                Landscape. Tempe, AZ.

TARGET CORPORATION. Six monolithic sculptures at entry. Tempe, AZ.

RED MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE. Design Team member for (new) campus design.

DWL Architects, and Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. Responsible for layout of plaza hardscape, block patterns on all buildings, five sculptures in the West plaza and entry sculpture in South plaza.

PRIVATE RESIDENCE. Four sculptures for two reflection pond/fountains. Pinnacle Peak, AZ.

CERULEAN TOWER TOKYU HOTEL. Steel & cast glass wall screen. Tokyo, Japan.

AMERICA WEST AIRLINE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS. Courtyard with water feature(March 1999)

ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL Corporate Headquarters, Costa Mesa, CA.

ANDERSON CONSULTING Corporate Headquarters, Los Angeles, CA.

SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE, Westcor Partners. Porte Cochere a multi-elementenvironment including, plaza, fountain, seating and sculpture(s). Primarymaterials are cast class, sandstone, masonry and mosaic. In the new Rotunda, a three-story, three-dimensional glass and steel mural.(Sept. 1998) COMPLETED

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA Suspended sculpture for the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering complex. Dimensional glass mosaic and steel system. (scheduled for August 1998) COMPLETED

CORPORATE COLLECTIONS (selected)

2002 SELECTION PANEL: City of Tempe Performing Arts Center
1997-2000 DESIGN REVIEW APPEALS BOARD, City of Phoenix
1997 SELECTION PANEL: "Artists’ Initiative Public Art Project, Phoenix Arts Commission
1996 1996 STRATEGIC PLAN, Phoenix Arts Commission
1995-96 MAYOR’S ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS COMMITTEE
1995-96 STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, Scottsdale Cultural Council
1995 AWARDS JURY, AZ Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
1995 SELECTION PANEL, Harry Woods Government Center, Tempe, AZ.
1994-96 ACQUISITIONS & POLICIES PANEL, Scottsdale Cultural Council.
1994 SELECTION PANEL; Civic Plaza Public Art, Phoenix Arts Commission.
1994 Focus Group THE PUBLIC ART INSTITUTE at the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF LOCAL ARTS AGENCIES
1994 Individual Artists Fellowship Panel, NEBRASKA ARTS COUNCIL.
1994Visual Arts Panel, ARIZONA COMMISSION ON THE ARTS
1993 Chair CULTURAL DESERT (outdoor sculpture museum), Scottsdale CulturaL Council, City of Scottsdale, AZ.
1993-94 ARTLINK BOARD, Artlink, Inc. Phoenix, AZ.
1993-97 Vice-Chair PUBLIC ART COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE, Scottsdale Cultural Council. City of Scottsdale, AZ.
1991-93 ART COLLECTIONS ADVISORY BOARD, Scottsdale Cultural Council. City of Scottsdale,AZ.
1989-90 PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE, Phoenix Arts Commission. Phoenix, AZ.
1989 & 1990 SELECTION PANELS, Phoenix Arts Commission. Phoenix, AZ.
1989 SELECTION PANEL, Scottsdale Center for the Arts atrium commission. Scottsdale, AZ.
1988-89 ART MASTER PLAN: SKY HARBOR CENTER (team member), Phoenix Arts Commission Phoenix, AZ.
1988-89 VISUAL ARTS COMMITTEE, Municipal Arts Commission. Tempe, AZ.

SCULPTURE MAGAZINE. "Focus: Otto Rigan. Anne Barclay Morgan. April 2001, Vol 20 No 3.
ART IN ARIZONA. (Contemporary Art in Arizona, essay) Richard Nilson, Stanbery Books. 1995
CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Review: "Luminous Order" exhibition. Lori Gray. Nov. 4, 1994
ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Artful salute to Phoenix's fallen", Wilson, Steve.
PUBLIC ART WORKS: THE ARIZONA MODELS. Stadola, Betsy.
PHX DOWNTOWN. "Getting down to Business", Catt Fields-Condon, October 1993
LOS ANGELES TIMES. "A Raw State of Beauty". Kapitanoff, Nancy. Jan. 1st, 1993
PHOENIX HOME and GARDEN. "Art Detour,", Trulsson, Nora. April 1992
LOS ANGELES TIMES. "Only in L.A.,", Havey, Steve. April 8, 1991
WHITTIER DAILY NEWS. "Monolithic Addition to City Artworks in Public Places Unveiled," Sprague, Mike. March 1991
SCULPTURE MAGAZINE Exhibition Review: Sena Galleries Exhibition, Deats, Suzzane. Jan/Feb. 1991
SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS. "Let Rock Sing Own Song,", Noyes, Francie. July 7, 1990
THE PHOENIX GAZETTE. "Cortez Park Sculpture Shows Off Public Art Program," Koning, Ryan. June 19, 1990
SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS. "Between a Rock & a Smooth Place,", McPherson, Chris. May 12, 1990
THE PHOENIX GAZETTE. "Agricultural Past is Sculpture's Muse," Pyne, Lynn. April 26, 1990
ART-TALK. "Man Is But A Speck In Time, The Stones Live Forever,", Michaels, Donna. January 1990
GLENDALE (CA) NEWS. "Noted Artist Creates Sculpture for Building," Hoppert, Dale. Dec. 1989
ARIZONA REPUBLIC. "Element of Light to Interpret Mass Distinguishes Art," Cooper, Evelyn. Jan. 13, 1989
METRO PHOENIX MAGAZINE. "People To Watch,", Deveny, Beth. October 1988