Paul Villinski's solo exhibition "Flight Patterns" at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park uses found objects such as aluminium cans, bottles, knives, and vinyl records to explore various interpretations of flight. Drawing from his background as a licensed pilot, Villinski frames the experience of airborne motion through thematic lenses of hope and transformation.
Villinski is renowned for his intricate, thematic sculptures featuring swarms of insects, addressing issues like environmentalism, addiction recovery, and food insecurity. In "Flight Patterns," hundreds of miniature liquor bottles form undulating patterns reminiscent of starling murmurations.
Another piece displays numerous knives arranged like bird feathers from a larger-than-life metallic wingspan. Using aluminium from discarded cans, he crafts delicate butterfly wings and transforms LPs into bird silhouettes, reimagining the value of outdated materials.
A centrepiece of his exhibition is a scaled-down World War II B-25 bomber installed in galleries, from which canned goods and packaged foods spill onto the ground. This historical symbol of military might, capable of carrying over 3,000 pounds of bombs, is re-envisioned as a tool to combat global food scarcity.