Product Design Professor Bob Marsh Brings Kinetic Sculptures, Other Works to Solo Exhibition at Virginia Tech

A wide-ranging collection of work from Bob Marsh, professor of Product Design at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University, takes center stage in Letters & Melodies, a solo exhibition held at the Armory Gallery at Virginia Tech University's School of Visual Arts. 

Artist and KCAD Product Design Professor Bob Marsh

Letters & Melodies features kinetic sculptures, works on paper, and mixed-media installations that juxtapose historic craft practices against contemporary common culture. That duality extends into both Marsh's studio practice—fueled both by carefully planned creative decisions and serendipitous discoveries—and the presentation of his work, which wraps elements of critical inquiry and theory into pieces that are intentionally inviting to viewers. 

"All Hat" by Bob Marsh, featured in the solo exhibition Letters & Melodies at the Armory Gallery at Virginia Tech University's School of Visual Arts (image courtesy of the artist)

"The most recent works pay homage to blue-chip artists and intentionally reference many inherently blue-collar pursuits, such as home remodeling, automobile modification, and local sports leagues," Marsh writes in his artist statement. "This work pulls from and adds to our ever-growing collective history, from which inspiration is drawn, and an often dyslexic reading occurs."

Letters & Melodies builds on Marsh's extensive national and international exhibition record, which includes shows at the Shanghai Meilidao International Art Institution in China, The George School in Newton, Penn., and the Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass Village, Colo., among many others.

"School Bus" by Bob Marsh, featured in the solo exhibition Letters & Melodies at the Armory Gallery at Virginia Tech University's School of Visual Arts (image courtesy of the artist)

Marsh has also participatd in a number of prestigious artist residencies, including the Appalachian Center for Crafts, Haystack Mountain School of Craft, and the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. 

Letters & Melodies is on view through February 22, 2024. To see more of Bob Marsh's work, visit bobmarshstudio.com.