Imagine driving through the peaceful countryside, taking in the sights of animals grazing, crops growing, and the occasional shelter of windbreaks provided by trees planted years ago. Suddenly, you spot it. A unique, larger-than-life creation that stands out from the landscape – the Ark by Scott Hocking.
So, who is Scott Hocking? He’s a Detroit-based artist known for his site-specific installations and sculptures, often made from found objects and discarded materials. His work reflects the history and physical landscape of Detroit, creating a dialogue between the past, present, and potential futures. Hocking has created several notable installations in abandoned spaces throughout Detroit, including the “Egg” installation at Detroit’s Packard Automotive Plant, where he stacked wooden barrels into a massive egg shape.
Born in Michigan in 1975, Hocking has been living and working in Detroit since 1996. His artwork has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, making him a key figure in the Detroit art scene. His artwork has traveled far and wide, being showcased at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Cranbrook Art Museum, the Art Chicago, the Kunst-Werke Institute Gallery Detroit, Museum of Contemporary Kunsthalle Wien, and Susanne Hilberry Gallery Detroit.
One of his standout pieces is located in the fields of Michigan’s Upper Thumb. It’s an old barn transformed into an artwork, with twisted grey timber and intertwined planks taken from the virgin forests that once dominated the area. Now, what was once a working farm building is an art form, sitting among debris from decades of agricultural work with a rope draped along a fieldstone wall.
Scott Hocking creates site-specific sculptural installations and photography projects, often using found materials and abandoned locations. His installations focus on transformation, ephemerality, chance, and discovering beauty through the cycles of nature. He takes inspiration from everything from ancient mythologies to current events.
One of his works, known as The Celestial Ship of the North (Emergency Ark), also known as the Barnboat, is a site-specific installation and permanent sculpture in the farmlands of Michigan’s Thumb. Shaped by the site’s history and constant winds, the Barnboat was built over three months entirely from the beams and boards of a collapsing 1890s barn.
The Emergency Ark, completed in 2015, transformed an 1800s barn into a symbol of sanctuary and safety. You can find it about a mile south of Oak Beach on Oak Beach road and Fehner.
In essence, Scott Hocking’s work is a captivating blend of history, mythology, and urban decay, creating a dialogue between the past and the present, the natural and the artificial. His Emergency Ark stands as a testament to the transformative power of art and the enduring beauty of nature. #Art #Michigan
Discover more about Scott Hocking and his intriguing Emergency Ark in the middle of a cornfield [here](https%3A%2F%2Fthumbwind.com%2F2023%2F06%2F19%2Femergency-ark-by-scott-hocking%2F).
