BOB EMSER
EDUCATION
1978 Bradley University, Master of Fine Arts
1976 Eureka College, Bachelor of Arts-Art
GALLERY REPRESENTATION
Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1999-present Coordinator, “3-D Chicago”
Producer “Pier Walk,” annual sculpture exhibition
1996-present Full-time sculptor/lecturer
2005-2012 Member of the Board of Directors, Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, University City, IL
2005-2008 Member of the Board of Directors, International Sculpture Center
2004-2011 President/Co-Founder, Chicago Sculpture Center
1999-2001 Executive Director, Pier Walk, 3-D Chicago, Chicago, IL
1995-1999 Co-founder and Acting Director, Contemporary Art Center of Peoria, Peoria, IL
Co-Manager, Checkered Raven Studios (art commune featuring a frame shop, gallery, and artist studios), Peoria, IL
1989-1996 Associate Professor of Art, Eureka College, Eureka, IL
1987-1990 Chairperson-Fine and Performing Arts, Eureka College, Eureka, IL
1983-1996 Gallery Director, Eureka College, Eureka, IL
ONE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2015 “Aerodrome,” The Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, IL
2014 “Aerodrome,” Bradley University, Heuser Art Gallery, Peoria IL
2013 Essex House Lobby exhibition/ Clevelander Aerial Installation, Miami Art Week
2012 “Wheels Up,” 12 year retrospective Peoria Art Guild, Peoria, IL
Chattanooga 5th Biennial Sculpture Exhibition, Chattanooga, TN, January 2012-May 2013
“Test Flight,” 2 North Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL
2011 515 North State Street, Chicago, IL
2008 Prudential Plaza, Chicago, IL
2006 Zone Gallery, Kansas City, MO
“Shadow Drawings,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
“Sphere of Light,” FLATFILEgalleries, Chicago, IL
2005 “Shadow Drawing,” NIU Art Museum, DeKalb, IL
2004 “Voyage Beyond,” Artempresa Gallery, Cordoba, Argentina
Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, MI
Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL
“Structural Spaces-Exteriors Within,” Purdue University, Westville, IN
2003 “Structural Space: The Sculpture of Bob Emser,” Elmhurst Art Museum, IL
2002 “Sistine Touch,” on loan to Elmhurst Art Museum, Chicago, IL
2000 “Interior Work,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
“Interior Work 2000,” Artemesia Gallery, Chicago, IL
1999 Gallery 33, Springfield, IL
1998 Contemporary Art Center of Peoria, Peoria, IL
Galesburg Civic Art Center, Galesburg, IL
1997 Gallery 510, Decatur, IL
Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL
1994 “New Environments,” Peoria Art Guild, Peoria, IL
1993 University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, OH
1992 “Works for the Future,” Round River Gallery, Peoria, IL
1990 “It’s About Time,” Eureka College, Sculpture Installation
1988 “Ten Years After: A Space in Time,” Bradley University, Peoria, IL
1981 Rock Valley College, Rockford, IL
Freeport Art Museum, Freeport, IL
1980 Rockford Council for the Arts and Sciences, Rockford, IL
SELECTED TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2009 “Framework,” David Weinberg Gallery, Chicago, IL
“Inside Out,” Chakaia Booker & Bob Emser, Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst IL
2003 “Fluid Form,” TADU Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 “Ping!” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2015 “Dimensional,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
“Aerodrome: Thoes of Progress,” Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, IL
2014 Highland Park Art Center, Highland Park, IL
2012 “Lake Front Sculpture Exhibition,” Chicago, IL August 2012-August-2013
“5th Krasl Biennial Sculpture Invitational,” St. Joseph, Mi, April 2012-
August 31,2013
“Chattanooga 5th Biennial Sculpture Exhibition,” Chattanooga, TN, January 2012-May 2013
“Ways of Making Sculpture,” Governors State University
“Boys with Toys,” Causey Contemporary, Brooklyn, NY
“Alterpolitian Pop-Up Art Loop Inland Steel Bldg,” Chicago, IL
2011 “SILVER,” 25th Anniversary Show, Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2010 “ArtPrize,” Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, MI
“Governors Island Encounters,” New York City
2008 “Inside Out,” Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL
2006 “Krasl Biennial Sculpture Invitational,” Chicago Sculpture International
“CSI BIENNALE 2006,” Chicago Sculpture International Juried Exhibit
“9th International Shoebox Sculpture Exhibit,” Univ. of Hawaii’s Art Gallery
2005 “Artist/Model-maker/Sculptor,” Continental Building, Chicago, IL
“Art on the River,” Chicago, IL
8th Annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit, Greeley, Colorado
Somerby's Landing Sculpture 2004/2005, Newburyport, MA
2004 TADU Contemporary (Two-Person), Santa Fe, NM
2003 Odyssey 2003 Sculpture Exhibition, Purdue University, IN
Convergence International Art Festival, Providence, RI
“3-D,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
Atrium Gallery at HOK, St. Louis, MO
Spring Juried Show, Soho20, New York, NY; Janet Koplos, Senior Editor,
Art in America, juror.
3rd Annual Florida Outdoor Sculpture Competition, Polk Museum, Lakeland, FL
Sarasota Season of Sculpture, Sarasota, FL
Flossmoor Sculpture Park, Flossmoor, IL
ISC at GFS, Hamilton, NJ
“Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit,” New Hope Sculpture, New Hope, PA
“Chicago Sculptors,” Lincoln Park Outdoor Sculpture, Chicago, IL
“Art in America Curated Spring Invitational,” Soho20 Gallery, New York, NY
2002 Krasl Sculpture Invitational, Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, MI
Monarch Sculpture Park Olympia, WA
Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition, Bellevue, WA
“North Carolina Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit,” Greensboro, NC
2001 “Pier Walk 2001,” Chicago’s Navy Pier, International Sculpture Exhibit, Chicago, IL
Milwaukee River Walk, Milwaukee, WI
Cedarhurst Sculpture Park, Mt. Vernon, IL
2000 “Pier Walk 2000,” Chicago’s Navy Pier, International Sculpture Exhibit, Chicago, IL
1999 “Form and Function,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
“Sculpture on Second,” Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Arts Council, Cedar Rapids, IA
“Pier Walk ‘99,” Chicago’s Navy Pier, International Sculpture Exhibit, Chicago, IL
Salon de Marly le Roi, Paris, France
“Works on the Move,” (kinetic sculpture) Lakeview Museum, Peoria, IL
“Marquette Exhibition,” Vedanta Gallery, Chicago, IL
“Exteriors Within,” Illinois Central College, Peoria, IL
1998 “Pier Walk ‘98,” Chicago’s Navy Pier, International Sculpture Exhibit, Chicago, IL
“Outdoor Sculpture Garden,” Klein Art Works, Chicago, IL
1997 “River Park,” West Bend Friends of Sculpture, West Bend, WI
“Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit,” River Gallery, Chattanooga, TN
“Pier Walk ‘97,” Chicago’s Navy Pier, International Sculpture Exhibit, Chicago, IL
“Riverfront Sculpture Walk ‘97,” Peoria’s Festival Park, Peoria, IL
“Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit,” University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, OH
1996 “Pier Walk ‘96,” Chicago’s Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
“Riverfront Sculpture Walk ‘96” Festival Park, Peoria, IL
1994 “The Nude 94,” Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY
1993 “Crafts Regional ‘93,” John A. Logan College Museum, Cartersville, IL
“15th Southern Illinois Artists’ Competition and Exhibition,” Mitchell Museum,
Mount Vernon, IL
“Professional Art Exhibit,” Illinois State Fair, Springfield, IL
1992 “Sculptors Seven,” East Bluff Art Gallery, Peoria, IL
1991 “Figures 7,” Art Works Gallery; Peoria, IL
1989 “Four Professors,” Illinois Central College, Peoria, IL
1988 “Five Sculptors,” Lakeview Museum, Peoria, IL
1985 Illinois DOT (Two-Person), Springfield, IL
1983 “Peoria Area Sculptors’ Invitational,” Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, IL
1982 “Selections V,” Lakeview Museum, Peoria, IL
1981 Galesburg Civic Art Center (Two-Person), Galesburg, IL
1980 “32nd Illinois Invitational,” Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL
“26th Annual Small Sculpture Show,” Ball State University, Muncie, IN
1979 University of Illinois (Two-Person), Springfield, IL
SELECTED INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITS
2014 Lecture at the Guangzhou Fine Art Academic University, Guangzhou China,
2010 Sculpture by the Sea, 2010 & 2011, Perth, Australia
2005 “Symposiet 18-8” Stainless Steel Symposium, Stavanger, Norway
2002 “Sculpture by the Sea,” Sydney, Australia
2000 “Six Chicago Sculptors” EUR Lake
1999 Salon de Marly le Roi, Paris, France
1985 “Sister City Art Exhibit,” Bodensee-Museum Friedrichshafen, Germany
RECENT BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
2008 Huebner, Jeff. “Bob Emser American Sculptor,” Aardvark Global Publishing.
2007 “Best Of America Sculpture,” Vol. 1, Kennedy Publishing
2005 “Living Artists,” Edited by Ivy Sundell, Crow Wood Publication.
ARTICLES & REVIEWS
2012 Renken, Leslie. “Eureka artist Bob Emser soars onto international scene,” Peoria Journal Star, October 7, 2012.
Seinberg, Neil. The Chicago Sun Times, September 24, 2012
2011 Craft, Dan. “After winning prestigious award, Eureka artist free to pursue his dreams,” The Pantagraph, February 12, 2011.
2010 Howard, Clare. Peoria Journal Star , October 3, 2010.
2008 Issacs, Deanna. “So You Wanna Be an Artist,” The Chicago Reader, December 2008.
2006 Cassidy, Victor M. “Bob Emser at Flatfile,” Art in America, May.
2005 David Rauch. “Drawing on Walls,” The Northern Star, September.
Bente L. Henriksen “Fra skarp til Kunst,” Strandbuen, Jorpeland Norway. June.
“Riverwalk,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 2005.
2004 Craig Smith. “Gallery Wise Bob Emser: Fluid Form,” Pasatiempo, Santa FE, NM, June.
Victor M. Cassidy. “Prairie Smoke,” Artnet, June.
Sonya Vartabedian. “New Works to Sculpture Park,” The Daily New, Newburyport, MA, July.
San Dee Wallace. “Mixed media at the Krasl,” The Herald-Palladium, July.
Sculpture Magazine, Vol.23. no 3, April.
Margaret Hawkins. “Gallery Glance,” Chicago Sun-Times, March.
2000 Jeff Daniel. “Willem de Looper; Bob Emser,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, June.
CATALOGS
2012 “Test Flight,” Pop Up art exhibit, 2 N. Riverside Plaza, Essay by Paul Krainak, September
2009 “Framework,” David Weinberg Gallery, Essay by Aaron Ott, August
2008 “Inside Out,” Elmhurst Art Museum, Essay by D. Neil Bremer, October
2007 “Sculpture Invasion,” Koehnline Museum of Art, July
2004 “Structural Space the Sculpture of Bob Emser,” Forward by D. Neil Bremer,
Elmhurst Art Museum, February.
2003 “ISC at GFS 2003 International Exhibition.” Forward by Brooke Barrie,
Grounds for Sculpture, Summer.
“Kingston Sculpture Biennial 5.” Forward by Judy Pfaff, Kingston New York,
Summer.
“3rd Outdoor Sculpture Competition.” Forward by Daniel E. Stetson, Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland, FL, March.
2002 “4th Biennial Krasl Sculpture Invitational Exhibit." Forward by Dar Davis, Krasl Art Center, August.
2001 Pier Walk 2001 Catalogue, The Chicago International Sculpture Exhibition, Chicago, IL.
1999 “Bob Emser.” Catalogue featuring essay by Michael A. Dunbar, Coordinator,
Art-in-Architecture Program, State of Illinois.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Eureka Plaza Sculpture, Eureka, IL
Civic Plaza Sculpture, East Peoria, IL
Goshen College, Artist in Residence, January – March 2015
Inland Art Studies Center, Artist in Residence, Bradley University, Peoria , IL 2012-2014
PUBLIC ART PROJECTS
Miami Art Basel Essex House and Clevelander solo exhibition / installation Dec. 2013
Peoria Civic Center Grand Hall Signature Sculpture, Peoria, IL 2013
Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, MI My Jet Plane June – Oct. 2013
Chattanooga 5th Biennial Sculpture Exhibition, Chattanooga, TN, January 2012-May 2013
Knoxville Kinetic Art Project, City Transit Center, Knoxville, TN 2012
Private Commission, Highland Park, IL
Private Commission, Olympia Fields, IL
515 North State Street, Chicago, IL September 1-November 30, 2011
Avenue of Sculpture, Art Chicago, 2010 & 2011
Olympia Fields, IL, Signature Piece – City Hall, 2010
Governors Island, NYC, 2010
Pinellas County Arts Council, FL, Belleair Causeway, 2010
Park Ridge, IL, Uptown Plaza, 2009
Wayne State College, Wayne, NE, 2008
City of Orland Park, IL, Marcus Theater Plaza, 2007
Dennos Museum, Northwest Michigan College, Traverse City, MI, 2007
Lake Land College, Alumni Park Plaza, Mattoon, IL, 2006
MUSEUM/PUBLIC ART COLLECTION
Swope Museum of Art, Terra Haute, IN
Dennos Museum, Traverse City, MI
Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL
Mitchell Museum, Cedarhurst Sculpture Park, Mount Vernon, IL
Freeport Art Museum, Freeport, IL
University Museum, Rio Grande, OH
Lakeview Museum, Peoria, IL
Hinkhouse Collection, Eureka College, Eureka, IL
State of Illinois Collection
City of Peoria, Riverfront Festival Park, Peoria, IL
Jørpeland, Norway, Commune Sculpture Park
Peoria Civic Center Grand Hall Signature Sculpture, Peoria, IL 2013
Knoxville Public Art, City Transit Center, Knoxville, TN
Pinellas County Arts Council, FL, Belleair Causeway, FL
Wayne State College, Wayne, NE
AWARDS
United States Artist Project Grant (2011)
Pollock-Krasner Grant (2010)
Artist Foundation of NY Grant 2009
United States Consulate International Grant 2009