“Light Anemones,” an international art piece that was to receive $65,000 in city funding for an exhibition this fall, is no longer coming to Naperville, according to the artist who created it.
The piece — a series of sculptures that reflect natural light during the day and provide an illuminated kinetic display after dark — was to have been installed in the Paddleboat Quarry. Local nonprofit ArtForum Naperville proposed the artwork to the Naperville Park Board for display in December. A Canadian company called Wireframe was responsible for curating the exhibit.
Everyone seemed to be on board with one exception: Malte Kebbel, the Berlin-based artist who said he was unaware of plans to bring his sculptures to the city until he read a Naperville Sun article on the proposal.
Kebbel said he started working with Montreal-based Wireframe about four years ago and that the company was representing the “Light Anemones” sculptures at the 2025 Winter Festival of Lights in Canada, which were held from November to the beginning of January.
After that festival, Kebbel said Wireframe mentioned an opportunity for him “close to Chicago,” but he was unaware that any kind of arrangement for its exhibition had been made. When he learned the company was planning to bring it to Naperville, he was shocked, he said.
“When an agency is asking me for collaboration, they need to ask the artist for confirmation and this is needed for any touring artworks. Without that, it would be not possible for me to plan my own shows,” Kebbel said.
He was eventually informed of the deal by Wireframe, including the money he would have received from the exhibition, he said. The amount offered, however, was too low for him to accept, leading Kebbel to pull the plug on the exhibit and to stop working with Wireframe.
He also noted that the confusion surrounding how Wireframe planned to transport his piece following the Canadian exhibition contributed to his decision to end his partnership with the company.
In an email, Wireframe said that while it can confirm it had agreements with Kebbel about the representation and display of “Light Anemones,” they declined to comment on their contractual arrangements with Kebbel and the details surrounding the Naperville exhibit.
ArtForum treasurer/board member Erin Franczyk said they are trying to sort out what’s happened.
“We were recently informed that the artist shared with the broker and company that he is no longer working with them,” Franczyk said. “As an organization, we’re currently in conversation with our partners to better understand the situation and determine next steps.”
Last month, ArtForum was approved to receive $65,000 in funding from the city’s Special Events and Community Arts program for the installation.
The SECA program funds artistic projects and community events in Naperville through a tax the city collects on food and beverage sales. While SECA would have funded part of the “Light Anemones” installation, ArtForum officials said they would raise the additional $25,000 needed to help bring the sculptures to Naperville.
“It’s disappointing to see a project shift in this way, especially after the time and energy so many people have invested,” Franczyk said. “But our focus now is on working collaboratively with our partners — including those involved through SECA — to move forward in the best way possible.”
Naperville city spokesperson Linda LaCloche said Thursday that the city has not been informed that “Light Anemones” has been canceled. Any SECA funding awarded for an event or program that doesn’t take place returns to the Food and Beverage Tax Fund.
cstein@chicagotribune.com
