Purdue University North Central celebrates the 15th anniversary of its Odyssey Arts and Cultural Events Series with a public reception and opening of its multi-piece contemporary sculpture exhibit on Saturday, Oct. 19 in the Library-Student-Faculty Building Assembly Hall, Room 02.
The Odyssey 2013- 2014 exhibit includes 11 new pieces bringing the total to 45 sculptures that grace the 269-acre PNC Westville campus and PNC - Porter County, 600 Vale Park Road in Valparaiso.
Guests are welcome to arrive early to take a self-guided tour of the sculptures located throughout the PNC Westville campus.
Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy refreshments and conversation in Assembly Hall. The event will begin with an informal talk by sculptor Preston Jackson from 3:30 to 4:40 p.m. He will discuss his show "Images From the Closet Trunk" which is currently on display in Assembly Hall.
The exhibit is Jackson's personal look at history as an examination of life in the United States, particularly the South, from slavery on. He intends for his work to preserve cultural history and attitudes within and outside the African-American community.
Remarks by PNC Chancellor Dr. James B. Dworkin and Judy Jacobi, assistant vice chancellor of Marketing and Campus Relations, will begin at 5:30. Many of this year's debuting Odyssey sculptors and artists will be on hand to discuss their works.
Following the Odyssey opening activities, guests are welcome to view the art currently on display at PNC. That includes the artwork of noted 20th century artist, George Sugarman is located in the Library Odyssey Gallery on the second floor of the LSF Building. This collection includes sculptures, a variety of framed paintings, a tribute wall of 35 framed works, a montage of photographs depicting the artist and his biography. The library, usually closed on Saturdays, will be open from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Also open to the public is the exhibit "Mycological Magic: The Art of Mushrooms," a collection of photographs by photographer Mike Bailey, in the Library-Student-Faulty Building student lounge, Room 062.
The show "Sculptor Christine Rojek . . . Breeze Keeper Highlights" now in the first floor north study area of the PNC Technology Building, features a series of photos depicting the creation of her sculpture, Breeze Keeper, which is debuting during as part of the current Odyssey installation.
PNC is the permanent home of a section of a steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center in New York after its Sept. 11, 2001 collapse and is on display in the LSF Cybercafé, Room 114, off the first floor foyer.
The steel is displayed near the oil paintings of Jason Poteet, which includes a series named, "New York, New York," created in tribute to the victims of Sept. 11, the rescue workers and the residents of New York City.
S. Thomas Scarff, in his 15th year as curator of the PNC Odyssey sculpture exhibits, remarks, "We are thrilled with this year's exhibit. We have an outstanding collection of artwork created by some amazingly talented artists. It is a breathtaking show. Many pieces have moving or interactive parts and most all tell a story. The Odyssey series continues to be the largest outdoor art installation in our area and is one of the premier art installations in Indiana and lower Michigan."
The Odyssey Cultural Series includes a number of events throughout the year, including exhibits of art, film showings and presentations.
Sculptors who will debut works as part of Odyssey 2013 - 2014 are:
Andrew Arvanetes - Once Around the Block is a 9-foot by 4-foot by 6-foot stainless steel sculpture.
Mike Grucza - House for Sandy is made of polished perforated stainless steel, powder-coated aluminum and sits on a painted steel plate. It measures 4 feet by 4feet by 8 feet.
Ray Katz - Sentinel #3 is a welded and fabricated steel and painted piece that is 14 feet high, 14 feet wide and 6 feet deep.
Ruth Aizuss Migdal - Flappers measures 12 feet by 13 feet by 8 feet. Its companion, Diva, is 12 feet by five feet by five feet. Both steel sculptures are painted red.
Christine Perri - Bas-relief Billboard is made of stained cedar and charred oak and is 11.5 feet by 9.5 feet by 4 feet.
Christine Rojek - Breeze Keeper is an interactive aluminum sculpture that measures 9 feet by 42 feet by 24 feet deep.
Tom Scarff - Dancing Lady this aluminum and bronze sculpture stands 6 feet by 7 feet by 14 feet.
Andy Scott - The Kelpies are galvanized and powder coated steel maquettes that are 15 feet by 10 feet by 6 feet in size.
Marshall Svendsen - Chicago Industrial is crafted out of cast aluminum and steel. It is 13 feet by 15 feet by 10 feet in size.
Mark Warwick - People and Places is a sculpture of rusted and painted steel that is 12 feet by 15 feet by 10 feet.
The existing Odyssey pieces are:
- John Adduci - Running Arch, Odysseus
- Ron Gard - Abduction
- Mike Grucza - Odalisque
- Jason Hawk - Don't Panic, The World Isn't Flat
- Charles Hendricks & Associates and Lonici Rental Group - Tres Bon Tricycle
- Preston Jackson - Haints + History, Travels of My Seven Sisters
- Kara James - Tongue Highway
- Terry Karpowicz - Heraldic Taunt at PNC - Porter County
- Dessa Kirk - Demeter
- Michele Lanning - Oh!
- Michele Lanning - Critical Mass in the PNC Library
- Travis Lanning - Progression
- Rob Lorenson - First Gear, Sentinel
- Brian Monaghan - Slow Dance
- David Noguchi - Rise, at PNC - Porter County
- Eric Nordgulen - Anatomy Vessel
- Jason Poteet - Rumination
- Fisher Stolz - Seduction
- S. Thomas Scarff - Geisha Rose, Rainbow Flyer, Windfighter; at PNC - Porter County are Light Ray, Indigo Flame
- George Sugarman - A Green Field, Two Part Folding Screen and Two Blues and a Red J
- ason Verbeek - Dragonfly Zelda Werner - Alexander's Circus
- Bruce White - Ghostship, Twin Fin Continuum
- Jaci Willis - Effervescence
A number of works are for sale. The Odyssey sculpture exhibit is open to the public during university hours. Visitors are encouraged to come on Thursdays, Fridays and weekends when parking is ample.
Information on group tours is available by contacting Judy Jacobi, assistant vice chancellor of Marketing and Campus Relations at 785-5200, ext. 5593. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Jacobi.