Jose Leonardo Velazquez
Khalid Almousa
Raiyan Alghafaili
Art Around campus
Outline
1. Introduction
- A brief explanation about the biggest pieces of art in Saint Leo
University
2. The Crucifix
in Saint Leo Abbey Church.
- Fr. Damian, a priest in Saint Leo Abbey told us the story of the
beautiful crucifix.
- Materials and artwork of the Holy Cross.
- The accident installing the Cross.
- Dr. Kirk, the President of Saint Leo University decided to
install a Cross in every classroom.
3. "For
Those Who Serve", the statue in Dempsey Plaza (Located in front of the
bookstore)
- The purpose of that piece of art.
- Information that every student has to know about the sculpture.
- The process.
- Dexter Benedict commentary.
- Dr. Kirk commentary.
4. Statue of the first Afro-American
student: Rudolph Antorcha.
- Data about the statue (located between
the new dormitories).
- What represent that statue for Saint Leo University.
- A brief explanation about the artist.
5. Conclusion
6. Work Reference
Introduction
In this section
we going to talk about the main pieces of art and sculptures in the University;
the history of each and what they symbolize and represent to Saint Leo
University. In every building on campus are different kinds of art. Maybe the
most viewed and popular sculpture is the one right in front of the bookstore.
It is a group of people carrying a statue of liberty and a professor staring at
them. That is one of the recently statues, that piece was brought it in 2010, and
certainly has a very nice story beyond that we can see everyday walking around
the sculpture. Other very interesting sculpture is the new statue in
commemoration of the first African-American student in Saint Leo; Rudolph
Antorcha, who came about 1898 when the Benedictine monks founded Saint Leo. In
the sculpture we can se a Benedictine monk receiving and welcomed in the new
student, who is carrying books and smiling. The history behind that piece of
art is very interesting too because the sculptors use a very difficult
technique and the color of the piece is very nice thank the material used it.
We will talk
about all of these pieces of art in the University. There are plenty amazing
pieces, like the new building which has an amazing fish tank in it or the
crucifix in Saint Leo Abbey Church. Every piece or art have something
interesting with a nice story beyond that we can see. Enjoy!
The Crucifix in Saint Leo Abbey Church
One of the most
oldest pieces of art on campus it is the crucifix in the church of Saint Leo
Abbey. That it is an amazing piece of sculpture made of Tennessee marvel, that
crucifix was installed in 1940. Abbot Francis who was the man in charge in
those days is who commission the sculpture. Father Damian, a priest in the
Abbey told us a brief story: When the sculptor and his crew brought the piece
to the church, they used a crane to put it in the right place, suddenly when
they were arranging the cross, one of the wires of the crane broke up and the
wire was whipping all over the place and almost reached a worker. The crucifix
fell dawn and broke the altar and a couple things that were there in that
moment. Fortunately nothing bad happened.
The artist made
three pieces before get the final piece of that sculpture, the artist worked
almost five years to get the official one. Abbot Francis decided to used some
Italian tiles to the frame around the cross, and he went to Italy to visit the
tiles artist and pick the best choice for the decoration of the cross. Some
years before a local artist made the wooden decorations in the top of the
crucifix and finally in the latest 40's the crucifix work was done. Today the
monks in the Abbey keep the cross in very good shape "...That beautiful crucifix looks exactly like the first
day..." Father Damian said while looking at the nicely done
sculpture.
In 2012 Abbot Isaac gave to Dr. Kirk a small
reproduction of the same crucifix and Dr. Kirk decided to get a reproduction of
the crucifix to install it in every classroom in the University.
Saint Leo honors the students in armed forces
Every person on campus has seen the sculpture
right outside of the bookstore. Those green big people carrying a statue of
liberty that looks like Lady Gaga is very famous in Saint Leo University and
the counties around it. It is very true that not so many students or members of
the faculty are very informed about the monument. I will try to explain the
basic things that every student has to know about the carving.
Firstly and maybe
the most important thing it is the official name of the sculpture; "For
Those Who Serve" it is the official title of it. As the title says; the
monument is to commemorate Saint Leo's service to the military. It is an
important fact that the piece of art is there because it is a reminder of all
the students and graduates of Saint Leo working in the military service: “I
thought about a sculpture in the plaza as a place of honor for all of our
military students and graduates,” Dr. Kirk explains. “I also saw it serving as a daily reminder to all of us of their
service, and them being one with us.”
Dexter Benedict was the artist in
charge of the piece of art. The complete statue has a weight of two tons and
the height is twenty-two feet. The main material is bronze and the technique is
modeling, to that process firstly the artist molded the figures in clay, then
cast in wax and ultimately in another mold casting to bronze. Benedict took two
years to perfect the four persons carrying the Lady Liberty. Benedict says that
"The idea of blending into kind of
impressionist and slightly abstractive point of view". He says that he
really enjoyed doing that sculpture which took him two years of hard work. The
four persons carrying the Statue of Liberty are military servers with uniforms
from: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. The artist shows the
justice to the racial and ethnic diversity in the military people. Benedict
reflected his passion and dedication in his work "When you talk about people who lay their lives on the line for
our defense, that’s heroic. That’s been on my mind. That, along with trying to
give nobility to the ‘every person’ in the military" he says.
Staring at
the brave persons carrying the Lady Liberty is a man sitting in a bench with
scrolls, a computer disc and a book, that symbolize the instruments of learning
and he is a faculty member of Saint Leo looking proudly at the loyal serving in
the armed forces. “I like to think
there’s a kind of spiritual quality to the work, not in a formal religious
sense,” Dexter Benedict says, “but in
the sense that the human spirit comes through the work.”
In conclusion, the statue was installed
in Dempsey Plaza on November 11th 2010 to commemorate Veteran's Day. Definitely
it is a piece or art that every student has to have a picture and feel proud of
it.
"I hope,” Dr. Kirk says, “that the statue becomes a destination piece
that attracts visitors just because it is here. I hope that students, faculty,
staff, and visitors have the same reaction I had when I saw it: compelling and
inspirational. I hope people appreciate how Saint Leo has had so many dedicated
faculty and staff who committed themselves to serve those who serve us, so many
students and graduates who have served or are now serving in the military.
Saint Leo is so much more and greater in mission, spirit, and service than we
are just on this campus.”
Statue of the first Afro-American student: Rudolph Antorcha.
Certainly, Saint Leo has more than 100 years existing. The
Benedictine Monks were who decided to found a School to educate people under
the Benedictine values. Was in 1898 when the integration was illegal the
Benedictine monks welcomed him to the education, something that everyone
deserve a chance. "This is a particularly important
story for us to tell. We have a core value of respect for all people. To
integrate in 1898 when it was against the laws in Florida to integrate, it’s
just a very, very powerful statement of that commitment,” Dr. Kirk said in the ceremony of Martin
Luther King Jr. 2013.
Steven
Dickey from Tampa was the artist committed to develop the figure of Rudolph
Antorcha (The first African- American Student) and a Benedictine monk. Made
completely of bronze, the two figures: Antorcha with books under his arm and
the monk with his arms wide-open welcoming greeting to the world of
opportunities and hope. Dickey did not have a picture of a description of the
student; although, he worked focused in the spirit and style in those years
when unfortunately people of different race would not be together. The monk
just dressing a nice Benedictine habit as usual looks very happy welcoming to
the new student. Even though in 19th century was illegal by a state law educate
white and black people in the same college, the monks did not worry about it "There would have been a sense of trepidation," Dickey said.
The
statue is located in the walkway between the new two dormitories, with some
embedded lighting that illuminate at night. That statue represents how
sometimes is not politically incorrect break the rules if the purpose is good.
Having that statue as a centerpiece between classrooms, make us have always in
mind that all human beings deserve the same opportunities not matter the color
of the skin of the country of origin.
The Saint
Leo student received the sculpture very excited and they really appreciate
having that piece of art because represents equality in the University and the
World.
- "I can tell that in a sense it’s him guiding him and there's
always help here, especially at Saint Leo. I can say I always have help,”
Karina Escalera, a student.
- "Back in 1898,
the student had to endure so much. No one really respected him but Saint Leo
gave him the opportunity that no one else really gave him,” said John Agnello,
a student.
" 'A Spirit of Belonging' is
splendid, and we are going to cherish it," Dr. Arthur Kirk said.
Conclusion
Certainly, we are lucky to have
those very pieces of art in this campus. We made a research about each piece to
know more about it and share with every interested person in art around Saint
Leo University. Always is better know more about the things we see daily, it
was unbelievable for me to knew that a lot of students do not are informed
about those pieces of art, but that is the purpose of this paper. We do not expect
that every student who read this paper will go to see how great and beautiful
are the sculptures, but at least make them know what the sculptures symbolize
for Saint Leo University according with our Benedictine values which we are
proud.
Word Reference
- Dr. Arthur Kirk
quotes (http://www.saintleo.edu/news-events/news/press-releases/a-lasting-tribute-at-saint-leo-university.aspx).
- Dr. Kirk and
Dexter Benedict quotes (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/28043)
- MLK Day at Saint Leo (http://www.pride-online.net/54230).
- Veterans
Sculpture at Dead City, quotes. (http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_pasco/dade_city/veterans-sculpture-unveiled-in-dade-city).
- Statue marks
milestone at Saint Leo University, Dr. Kirk quote. (http://tbo.com/pasco-county/statue-marks-milestone-at-saint-leo-university-schools-first-black-student-613963).
- Saint Leo honors first African American Student, Dr Kirk, Steven
Dickey and students quotes.(http://cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/2/11/saint_leo_honors_fir.html).
- Saint Leo University. (http://www.saintleo.edu).
