Associate Curator of the Broad Carla Acevedo-Yates talked about the goal of the Field Station series. 

“The goal of this space is to feature either young artists, emerging artists, but also mid-career artists, to offer them a space in which to experiment with their process,” Acevedo-Yates said. “It really allows for them to either rethink some of the older ones they've been showing for the past few years, create new works or explore a part of their practice that they haven't been able to do so in another space.”

Over a decade ago, Hocking spent a semester at MSU trying to figure himself out and figuring out he wanted to become an artist. An art class that he took changed his views and dreams. 

“I did, however, have one class that was an art class and ... it ended up being really influential in my life,” Hocking said. “Our teacher of the art class, in fact, ended up being an art teacher of mine in Detroit when I decided to go to art school four years later.”

In designing his art, Hocking tends to gravitate toward historical themes. In his new exhibition for the Broad, he will be drawing from Michigan historical themes, such as railroads and the lumber industry. 

“Scott Hocking was an artist based in Detroit, will be working with discarded railroad ties that he transported from Detroit and he will build an installation that will speak and draw upon the many histories of Michigan Industrial Histories, the railroad industry in Michigan and its impact on the landscape and on the cities,” Acevedo-Yates said.

Hocking’s art juxtaposes Michigan’s history and how it was shaped by multiple industries. There will be railroad ties, which are linked to the iron industry, as well as wooden bows from the railroad tracks, which are related to the lumber industry.

“So to me, kind of connecting again back to the ancient past when we had natives living in a more pristine forest land to the Industrial Revolution,” Hocking said.

This is the second cycle of Field Station at the Broad, and the opening reception for Hocking's exhibition will be Aug. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. It will be available for viewing through Sept. 30.