A new sculpture to honor Theodore Dreiser will be dedicated at Vigo County Public Library near the Walnut Street entrance on Friday, April 26th at 11:30 a.m. Everyone is invited to join Art Spaces in celebrating this new work created by Jeanine Centuori and Russell Rock of Urban Rock Design, Los Angeles, California.
Dreiser, born in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1871 is often known as the “father of American Naturalism.” His writing style had a tremendous influence on his contemporaries as well many writers today. He is the author of eight novels and numerous short stories, drama, poetry, and non-fiction works, including his most widely known Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy.
The sculpture, created by the Urban Rock Design artist team of Jeanine Centuori and Russell Rock of Los Angeles, California, is an aluminum sculpture celebrating Dreiser’s importance to the rich cultural heritage of Terre Haute and the field of world literature.
The sculpture contains an engaging collection of Dreiser’s phrases gathered from various of his works, offering varied experiences dependent, in part, on the viewer’s distance from the work as well as the sun’s daily path which, on occasion, creates shadows of his words on the pavement, reminiscent of Dreiser’s quote “Words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean. Little audible links, they are, chaining together great inaudible feelings and purposes.”
Indiana State University College of Health and Human Services
Art Spaces, Inc. is pleased to announce Our River – Our Future, a new sculpture by South Carolina-based artist, Deedee Morrison, to be installed along 5th Street near the newly re-designed east entrance of the College of Health and Human Services. A public dedication will take place on Wednesday, May 7 at 2:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Deedee Morrison is a nationally known public artist working at the forefront of designing solar powered and LED sculptures to communicate public priorities and vision. Our River – Our Future features steel circular patterns laser cut to represent the Wabash River’s specific diatoms, single cell organisms that are key indicators of the health and well-being of an environment. The meandering of the Wabash River is reflected in the overall shape of the sculpture.
Our River – Our Future was commissioned as a continuing partnership between Art Spaces and Indiana State University which has resulted in seven public works of art on campus. This work exemplifies the focus of the university on the health and wellbeing of members of the ISU community and beyond.
The College of Health and Human Services offers programs in healthcare, social services, wellness and prevention. Graduates can become nurses, physicians’ assistants, athletic trainers, physical therapists, health educators, dieticians, fitness trainers, and more. The building also houses some programs for intercollegiate athletics and recreational sports.
Art Spaces is a not-for-profit organization providing public art and the design of public places to enhance economic growth, enrich cultural experiences and build a legacy for future generations. Morrison was inspired by Turn to the River and other efforts in the community to reconnect to the Wabash River through positive, meaningful and sustainable projects and programs.
For more information 812-235-2801 or info@wabashvalleyartspaces.com
Turn to the River is a comprehensive, multi-year project to reconnect downtown Terre Haute with the Wabash River through public art and design. Design Development for a large portion of the government campus was completed on April 12, 2019. Stay tuned for an updated timeline as Art Spaces prepares to begin implementation. Anyone that would like to learn more about the progress of Turn to the River or view the design documents is encouraged to call 812-235-2801 or write to info@wabashvalleyartspaces.com. Turn to the River is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation through the Wabash River Regional Development Authority.
Selected images from the presentation are available here.
