Public Art: 10-8

“10-8”   10-8 sculpture by Warrenville Police Department.

2019

By Matthew Placzek

Placzek Studios, Omaha, Nebraska

Stainless Steel

Location: Warrenville Police Department, Warrenville Rd at Tracy Place

10-8 in police code means “Officer in service and available for duty.”

Warrenville’s Tourism and Arts Commission (TAC) chose to honor our city’s police officers by commissioning this art piece to acknowledge the connection the officers have with the community and the dedication with which they serve. TAC turned to the Warrenville Police Department’s Mission Statement at the time to compile a list of words for the sculptor that best reflect the daily commitment of Warrenville’s police officers. The words include: Bravery, Integrity, Service, Dedication, Community, Compassion, Protection, Trust, and Duty. 

Matthew Placzek’s piece combines these words and ideas with the figures of an officer and a child to offer an interactive experience, inviting viewers to engage with the piece as they walk around it, as well as examining how shadows, layers and movement are created as the sun shines through the piece. Just as the sculpture creates a personal connection between art and viewer, the image of the police officer and child represent the connection the officers have to our community, and to each of us as individuals within thisOutline of the 10-8 sculpture by Warrenville Police Department. community they serve.

An artist for more than three decades, Matthew Placzek’s creations range from small pieces to large-scale sculptures that stand 90 feet tall. Placzek, a native and resident of Nebraska, entered the world of sculpting at age 14. Several galleries around the country have represented him since his college days. He has been honored to show his work in a one-person show at the American Embassy in Prague and once presented an original sculpture of an American Bald Eagle to President Ronald Reagan. His first large-scale commission came in 1991, and since then, Matthew has found himself catapulted into the world of municipal and private sculptural art projects. To date, Matthew’s pieces are included in over fifty hospital, university and corporate collections. His work can be seen at www.PlaczekStudios.com. 

Warrenville Tourism and Arts Commission 2018