Synergism
By William Conrad Severson and Saunders Schultz
Category: Sculpture
About
Commissioned for the bank’s plaza, the polished stainless steel cube entitledSynergism balances on one corner and features triangular openings that respond to, or “synergize” with, the surrounding architecture. On a sunny day, the openings in the steel sculpture catch the light and reflect the images of the sky, cars, and pedestrians as they move through the constantly changing environment. Like a complex mirror, Synergism reflects and complements its surroundings. In this way the sculpture is uniquely site-specific, its shining surface and tight corners designed specially for its present location.
Dimensions: 20′ x 15′ x 15′
Year Completed: 1976
Material: Stainless steel
Owner: U.S. Bank
Donor: U.S. Bank collection
About the artist:
William Conrad Severson and Saunders Schultz
Severson 1924-1999, Schultz b. 1927
William Conrad Severson was an internationally acclaimed artist who sculpted works for corporate, institutional, liturgical and private commissions. His artwork can be seen in the US, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Moscow. He was a co-founder and former president of the St. Louis Sculptors Gallery, and the first artist-in-residence at the Missouri Council of the Arts program in Chillicothe, Missouri.
Saunders Schultz received his BFA from Washington University in St. Louis in 1950 and two years later received an MFA from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He is an internationally acclaimed artist who focuses on making sculpture to fit its particular environment. Often creating monumental works that are larger-than-life, Schultz stresses the importance of making his work aesthetically pleasing. His work is characterized by sharp angles and shiny forms, due to the nature of the stainless steel with which he works.
