Cliff Garten demands more from the future. Always on the move, the veteran sculptor, based in L.A. by way of New Jersey, has several projects currently in the works to not only stack his profile, but also progress the art world and technological innovation. Known for his LED-lit super sculptures and beautification of public spaces, Garten’s forte is taking what’s available to people in the present and making it better. He’s a sculptor, sure, but at its core, isn’t that the purpose of technology? Garten knows this.
On his website, Cliff Garten states, “There is a latent potential in every public place and situation to become more than the specific functions it appears to perform.” Speaking to the artist, it’s clear that he lives and breathes by this mantra. The artist demands more of everything, and that includes technology, art, and even himself. He recently opened his latest LED installation, Los Angeles Opens Its Heart of Compassion; he’s working on a new project in Philadelphia with Robert Stern Architects, where they’re rejuvenating a whole street and a courtyard that’s adjacent to a new luxury high-rise. And he’s also traveling back and forth to Qatar, where he’s working with the Qatari Public Works Authority on a new public space project. Here, we spoke to the artist to break down just how this innovative thinker is blurring the lines between design and technology.