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A rendering of null_isle for the Momentum Festival.
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Toledo natives team up to add interactivity to disused spaces

ADAM SANZENBACHER

Toledo natives team up to add interactivity to disused spaces

Operating under a new collaborative art banner, local artists Adam Sanzenbacher and Stephen Williams create public art which activates vacant spaces and offers an interactive experience.

“We work in the same studio and brainstorm together. We both have our sort of different approaches which works well with us. We work well together,” Williams said.

The name for their group, XY&Z, came from a design and dimensional standpoint and according to Williams X,Y, and Z are like coordinates in a three dimensional space.

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“It was something that Steve was playing around with,” said Sanzenbacher. “The different planes, but it also functions as X,Y, and Z as in kind of filling that blank of everything in-between. So we kind of work in almost all media.”

As individual artists, the two offer highly impressive portfolios. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the Ohio State University, Sanzenbacher came back to his hometown of Toledo and began to work in glasswork and mixed media, displaying work at River House Arts and more.

“I’ve worked in exhibitory around the city and done work for the [Toledo] Zoo, Imagination Station, the Toledo Museum of Art, the Arts Commission, and through that process I met Steve,” Sanzenbacher said. 

Williams received his bachelor’s degree in fine arts in sculpture from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Maryland. He also came back to his hometown of Toledo to create, working in a multitude of mediums and styles. He has had work on display at the Huntington Center, River House Arts, and the Toledo Zoo.

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“I worked at the [Toledo] Zoo for years in the exhibit department and that’s where I met Adam. And then I’ve worked on projects around Toledo in the area for years,” Williams said. 

Now working collaboratively, the pair’s most recent public art piece was installed at the 2023 Momentum Festival downtown in early September.

Utilizing a workshop space owned by 2SCALE, Sanzenbacher and Williams brought the piece to life using the organization’s allotted equipment and aluminum extrusion. The architectural sculpture titled null_isle was set up as an indoor, interactive, multi-sensory, and immersive work. The piece utilized LED lighting, tropical plants, digital monitors, and an island hut to kick off XY&Z.

“We’re trying to do immersive installations kind of like architectural sculptures that are interactive but also activate vacant spaces, whether they’re interior or exterior. So that, scale-wise, was very large. It was 18 by 10 by 10 [feet], a large walkthrough space that was supposed to simulate the experience of being on a tropical island,” Sanzenbacher said.

Placed in what was formerly known as Leo’s Bookstore at 333 N. Superior St., Toledo, null_isle activated a vacant spot in downtown along with a number of other public art works. According to Williams, visitors at the Momentum Festival responded positively to the piece.

“It was all great responses, people loved it. They loved how it activated the space, a lot of people returned multiple times,” he said. “All of the responses were very positive.”

Going forward, the duo hope to work with more local and regional partners and Sanzenbacher said to keep an eye out for their XY&Z website which will publish in the next few weeks.

“We’re trying to, aside from just doing that, create lines of products. Whether it’s furniture, functional or sculptural products, in collaboration with other artists to make different lines of objects that people can interact with,” he said. “Trying to build kind of this vocabulary of visual objects and then be able to incorporate those into the larger, interactive installations and space activations.”

To see more of Sanzenbacher’s work, visit his Instagram @adam_l_sanzenbacher. For a look at Williams’ individual work, visit his website at stephenallanwilliams.com.

■ FilmToledo is hosting a Halloween mixer and fundraiser on Monday from 6 to 9 p.m. at Toledo Spirits, 1301 N. Summit St., Toledo. Attendance is free but donations are encouraged with ticket registration.

Halloween themed food and cocktails crafted by Toledo Spirits are set to satisfy attendees along with networking opportunities for members of the local film industry, business owners, and production companies. Information about the local film industry is available as well as details on the status of the recent WGA strike and ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike and how they have impacted our region. 

For more information, visit filmtoledo.com.

■ Sauder Village is hosting its 36th annual Woodcarver’s Show on Friday and Saturday, running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The two-day event at 22611 State Route 2, Archbold, offers visitors a chance to purchase handmade works, attend demonstrations, and chat with woodcarving artists on site.

Exhibitor specialties at the show include hand-crafted wooden wildlife, caricatures, bowls, cutting boards, vases, jewelry boxes, miniatures, walking sticks, and more. Those who purchase a general admission ticket to Sauder Village are able to visit both the woodcarver’s show and the village which are $24 for adults, $18 for students ages four to 16, and free for members and children 3 and under. “Show only” tickets are also available for $10.

For more information, visit saudervillage.org.

■ The Toledo Zoo and Aquarium is celebrating fall through the end of October. Closing out the Harvest Fest on Monday, the grounds are offering an array of autumn activities.

Located at 2 Hippo Way, Toledo, the Harvest Fest brings attendees giant pumpkin displays as well as seasonal food and beverage offerings. Autumn themed activities also include pumpkin carving demos and classes. Entrance to the festival is included with general zoo admission which is $26 to $29 for non-Lucas county residents and $24 to $27 for residents.

For more information, visit toledozoo.org.

■ The Toledo Artists’ Club is hosting an “All Media” class on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. Located at 5403 Elmer Dr., Toledo, the local art-oriented club offers various workshops throughout the end of the year, highlighting different mediums and styles for all experience levels.

Mary Jane Erard heads up her All Media class for $45 a person, offering all supplies within the ticket cost. Artists of all skill levels are welcome to enjoy detailed demonstrations given in several mediums. 

For more information, visit toledoartistclub.com.

Send news of art items at least two weeks in advance to Shayleigh Frank at sfrank@theblade.com.

First Published October 26, 2023, 2:00 p.m.

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A rendering of null_isle for the Momentum Festival.  (ADAM SANZENBACHER)
An immersive piece by Adam Sanzenbacher and Steve Williams for the Momentum Festival.  (ADAM SANZENBACHER)
A public art sculpture by XY&Z, a collaborative art group made up by Adam Sanzenbacher and Steve Williams.  (ADAM SANZENBACHER)
ADAM SANZENBACHER
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