A monumental work of art involves monumental ideas, objectives, plans and – before its completion, often controversy.
Long before the final unveiling of the outdoor sculpture planned for the new Salt Lake Art Center near the Salt Palace, many questions are being asked.
What sculptor will be chosen to create the work? Who will choose him? What will the project eventually cost? And possible the biggest question in the minds of the public at large, what will it look like?
Among those worried about the ultimate design is Salt Lake County Commission Chairman William Dunn.
“The sculpture committee proceeded to raise money for the project without our (the commission's) knowledge. Since that time we have met with them and expressed our appreciation for their efforts. But we are concerned about the ultimate design of the sculpture,” Dunn said.
“We want to make sure that the Commission has the opportunity to review and study the design prior to the authority being granted for a sculpture to be built. I do not want to end up with a sculpture which is not compatible with the building and its surroundings.”
“Generally speaking, a sculptor will share his preliminary thoughts and designs with his patron or patrons,” says Allen Dodworth, director of the Salt Lake Art Center.
“Occasionally the final sculpture will be different than the idea. but will follow the preliminary studies fairly closely," he said.
John W. (Jack) Jarman, local businessman and chairman of the sculpture committee, said the committee would be happy to keep the County Commission informed of the various stages of the project.
"We would advise them of the dates of panel meetings, and the date of the final selection of the sculptor. Progress reports could also be issued as the sculptor progresses with his commission."
The sculptor selection will be made by a panel of jurors, three named by the Salt Lake Art Center and three named by the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C. The Art Center committee recently received notification of a grant of $30,000 by the National Endowment to create the sculpture on the plaza east of the new Utah Symphony Hall, and north of the new Art Center now under construction.
The grant is contingent upon the Salt Lake Art Center Sculpture Committee raising a like amount of $50,000 in contributions. As this article was written, approximately $28,000 had been raised.
"Once the sculptor is selected, he will have artistic freedom to execute the sculpture as he feels," said Jarman. "We would hope that the completed work is as appealing to the County Commission as it is to the sculpture committee, the Art Center and other concerned individuals, but we have no guarantee of those feelings."
Dodworth, an art major from Stanford University, and former director of the Boise Art Center, was named last fall as director of the Salt Lake Art Center. He has substantial contacts in the art field.
"We have no control over who the national jurors will be, but I've been assured they will be noted art historians, museum directors or curators, critics, or possibly even sculptors," said Dodworth.
“I hope our three local jurors would have a good knowledge of art and sculpture, and be sensitive to the points of view of the area and its history.
"The sculptor himself is going to be chosen for work he has already done, not on any idea or proposal he might have for the site.”
Jarman said the committee has made no selection of jury members, and will not until the rest of the matching money is raised. At that point an invitation will be presented for artists to make presentations to the assembled jury.
An informal meeting with Ira Licht, coordinator of works of art in public places for the National Endowment and moderator of the local project panel will be held in Salt Lake City, tentatively this month.
"At that time the sculpture committee and all interested sculptors can ask informal questions,” Dodworth said. “We can notify interested sculptors. and they can perhaps get some questions answered at that meeting. We want our Utah sculptors to feel they have been kept informed about the project.
"The jury would meet probably sometime in October. That's just a guess - it could be earlier.
"We will welcome slides of sculptors' work, and resumes, anytime now. Actually. the sooner an artist brings that in, the better. We would not want something coming in the last minute, We would have a better chance
to review presentations more thoughtfully it they are brought in early.”
Artists may contact Dodworth at the Salt Lake Art Center, 54 Finch Lane Salt Lake City, or Jarman, at Bailey and Sons, Salt Lake City.
Utah sculptors don't have to be told they will be faring strong competition for the sculpture commission. Some feel a committee would be inclined to look first on nationally known artists.
"I have a tendency to feel that they might overlook local people and be looking at reputations and names of people outside the area," said Logan sculptor Larry Eisner. "However, I feel they should get the best piece of
work they can get."
Salt Lake sculptor Ed Fraughton asked why the commission to do the sculpture couldn't be limited to Utah artists. "Why should the committee have to go elsewhere?" he asked.
"It can't be limited to Utah artists because it's federal money (The National Endowment grant),” said Dodworth. "The terms of the grant say it must be open to any national artist. It is $50,000 of the American taxpayers'
money. However, it must be an American artist, producing today.
Utah sculptors face two concerns.
"First, this is a major opportunity for any sculptor, whether local or national or international -- to produce an important work of art in an important American city. Unless they are so busy they won't have time, they are going to be interested," said Dodworth. "The other fact is that very few Utah sculptors have yet done a work of this magnitude. However, that doesn't mean a Utah sculptor shouldn't go out and try for this commission." Will the sculpture be a gigantic object which can be seen from afar, or will it be dwarfed by the Salt Palace and other surroundings? "We have set no size on the sculpture,"
said Dodson. "One sculptor might want to do ten small pieces spread throughout the area. Another might do a single one many feet high. We can't say -- the sculptor will decide that after a lot of thought."
Also, no one can be certain that $100.000 will be enough money for a major sculptor to finish the project. Most major projects tend to require more funds than initially planned for. But Jarman and Dodson both feel the figure is a reasonable one. "I've talked to Ira Lacht, and he assured me that that would be sufficient to commission practically any important sculptor today," said Dodworth. "A director of the Oakland Museum of Art indicated that for a hundred thousand we would be attracting an international class of sculptors," Jarman said.
Larry Eisner suggested that the cost would depend on the technical procedures the particular sculptor might work with. "If he were to do a large, cast-bronze piece, the cost of casting could cat up a tremendous amount of that. But I suspect that $100,000 would generally be adequate."
Controversy has often surrounded major works of art. One of the most famous in recent years was the work by Pablo Picasso in Chicago, now an accepted part of the city. Some works have been met with dismay by the public when unveiled, but later the people learned to live with them.
Locally, controversy developed over the design of a fountain and sculpture in front of the new Federal Building at First South and State Streets. A modernistic design, it pleased some people, but others said it looked more like a series of pipe wrenches.
The first sculpture in the nation to be assisted with Endowment funds was done by the late Alexander Calder in Gerald Ford's home town of Grand Rapids, Mich. After getting to know and enjoy that work and seeing what it
reportedly did to rejuvenate an urban renewal area, Ford (then a Congressman) repeatedly credited Calder with turning him into an arts supporter. Other people in Grand Rapids were similarly transformed. A county commissioner at the time called the Calder stabile a "Pile of junk." That Calder work has now become the logo of the city, and appears on everything from that county commissioner's stationery to the city's garbage trucks. Salt Lake sculptor John Mortensen believes Salt Lakers or Utahns will want something they can relate to, but also with modern appeal. "I hope the sculpture will reflect some of the colorful historical aspects of the state. I don't mean another pioneer or Indian, but something which would embody the colorful history of the state.
No concern exists over the desirability of such a project. There hasn't been a major work of sculpture in Utah in '30 years- since the This is the Place Monument, said Jarman. "and it would be fitting to complement this fabulous new Bicentennial Arts Complex with a beautiful work created especially for it. It would certainly add to the cultural environment of Salt Lake City.
"There is a great cultural revolution occurring in Salt Lake City and the West, and the National Endowment for the Arts has looked favorably on Salt Lake City as only one of seven granted the full $50,000 this year for works of art in public places.
"There have been only 34 full grants since 1968, and when we applied in the beginning, 126 cities also applied. Lesser amounts were awarded to 33 other cities."
"This is the kind of project which creates a great deal of interest. You will never satisfy the taste of every citizen, because we are too diversified in our tastes, but I think there will be something of interest for everyone, and a beautiful addition to the arts of our city and state," said Ruth Draper, chairman, Utah Institute of Fine Arts.
A work of art does not necessarily have to be a "realistic" one to be appreciated. "We may very well have to introduce the sculptor and the sculpture to the community and help them understand the work: and enjoy it," Dodworth said.
I think it would be just as bad to put something simple out there – childish, if you will – that everybody would look at, smile, and go about their business. I think it important that any work or art challenge the viewer to think and respond.”
From the date of the award of the artist's commission to completion of the work, the time allotted is one year, to coordinate with opening of the Bicentennial Arts Project – the new Salt Lake Art Center, the Symphony Hall and the Capitol Theater renovation in the fall of 1978.
Persons contributing $500 toward the sculpture project will have his or her name on a bronze plaque at the new Art Center, and anyone contributing $10 or more will be named on a list of charter contributors.
Mr. Jarman said contributors should send checks to The Salt Lake Art Center Sculpture Committee, P. O. Box 2014, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110.
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