About
With glowing eyes, cascading steel hair and wings more than 20-feet across, Mishawaka Amphitheatre’s May 6th, 2021 “Luna Mothra” sculpture installation is a mesmerizing tribute to nature, beauty and the power of the feminine. Commissioned by Mishawaka owner, Dani Grant, and executed by celebrated sculptor, Nick LoFaro, “Luna Mothra” combines LoFaro’s love of pop culture monster movies with the magic of pixie folklore. The result is a heavy metal mashup that will soon become a permanent fixture in the Poudre Canyon right beside the Mish’s main stage. The steel sculpture weighs in at nearly 300 pounds, with a 20-foot wingspan and LED illuminated eyes. It is made from more than 50% reclaimed materials including discarded tractor parts, antique irons, hand saws, spoons and bike sprockets. The sculpture will appear to float beside Mishawaka’s main stage above the Poudre River where she will gaze over crowds gathering for the upcoming summer concert season.
From the Artist
Nick LoFaro is a sculpture artist with welding and metalsmithing expertise, as well as a lifetime of experience in writing, drawing, and painting. He is proficient with clay, plaster, steel, bone and concrete and specializes in abstraction of nature, science, folklore, mythology and comic book, with a heavy influence from science fiction, horror and the natural world.
Artist statement: “I am in constant pursuit of artistic endeavors that are seemingly impossible. Even if they are scary. Especially if they are scary. Perhaps art made me face my fears. Perhaps it made me bring them to life. Creativity has given me purpose. Art has always been a transport for my imagination: My spaceship to another planet, so I have a chance to leave Earth. My time machine, so I can make time for dinner.”
From the Venue
“My husband Matt and I consider ourselves more like stewards of the Mishawaka than owners,” said Dani Grant. “The community and the canyon really own this place. We wanted to create a piece that pays tribute to the awesome power and beauty all around us. At the same time, I really do feel like a Mama Figure here and we wanted Luna Mothra to reflect the power of womanhood as well. Nick has done an amazing job of capturing all those elements.”
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