Artist Charlie Brouwer has been featured in this blog before: he's the artist that creates installations and community art projects using donated ladders. He has been touring the USA as part of his 'Rising Together' series, which sees him visiting different towns and cities to create ladder-based artwork for the community.  Brouwer's installations are temporary: with all the ladders being donated by the local residents he can't leave the sculpture in place forever, because people need their ladders back! Brouwer is in Bluefield, Virginia, for the latest and tenth iteration of 'Rising Together' and has been donated all kinds of ladders from a bathroom step stool to a birdcage ladder.  Those without a ladder have been donating money to buy new ladders to be used in the piece.

Ladder Donations

The idea behind the series of installations is for the community to come together and be a part of something that allows the local residents to 'rise together'. The ladders, donated by individuals, groups and families, represent that person or group within the community and their structural role in helping the community to move onwards and upwards.  It's a conceptual artwork, but this allows everyone to see their own dreams and aspirations fitting into the wider community. Brouwer has been exhibiting since 1975 and ladders have long played a part in his works, featuring from 1989 to the present day. The ladder has a symbolism of achievement, possibilities and strength, so it's no surprise that artists, musicians and other creatives use this piece of equipment to make statements and push people to think about their artworks.  In Brouwer's case, the fact that he uses ladders owned by people in the community makes this all the more special for the people who live in the towns he works in.