Domus Caeruleus

Description

Domus Sacra – Artist Statement

The concept of this body of sculpture entitled, “Domus Sacra” or sacred home, began years ago. Arriving into New York in 1979, I marveled at the cultural difference from my hometown Detroit. New York has so much vitality and activity at all hours and very exciting diverse approaches to art and life; it took a few years to develop my artistic direction. However, I discovered that the link to my industrial heritage would be my guide The years working in and around Detroit’s auto manufacturing plants gave me the knowledge to use my hands to assemble sculpture from recycled steel into something new and evacuative. Initially I created horse like objects which where metaphors for horsepower and Detroit. I began experimenting with house forms as part of large sculptures in 2007. In “La.Ville Industriale Fin de Siecle”, three houses have stopped moving on a conveyer belt above that looms a motionless, godlike machine. This relates to the economic slowdown of the Mid Western industrial giant and those in its grasp. Another large sculpture, “Le Detroit Entre Deux Lacs” (2010), a house rides above a machine which spans the Detroit River.
Later, I then added small house motifs to several sculptures like the bird piece, “Senufo” 2010.
In 2024 I found a broken machine base in a field. From that rusted artifact I created “In Principo” which features a house form, as do the works; “Domus Sacra” and Domus Caeruleus. These pieces were followed by thirty-one house shaped wall hangings, all of which were made from reclaimed antique tools once owned by a Historic Bedford carriage maker.
In 2025 these artworks explore the home as a place of spiritual significance and sanctuary from the outside world.

Rob Spinazzola
April 2025