Off to the Foundry....

Off to the foundry but wanted to post an article which was in the Iowa Press-Citizen this weekend. (note that the plaster and rubber figures refer to the mold of the piece, not the piece itself)
Regards, LJN

UI to unveil new Kinnick sculpture Sept. 8

Will immortalize winning touchdown versus Notre Dame


By Brian Morelli
Iowa City Press-Citizen

Nostalgic Iowa Hawkeye fans will have another reason to visit Kinnick Stadium this year.

For the second year in a row, the University of Iowa plans to unveil a sculpture that delves deep into Hawkeye lore. This year's masterpiece captures Nile Kinnick scoring the winning touchdown in the legendary 7-6 victory over Notre Dame in 1939.

"There is not a larger, more comprehensive sculpture in any football stadium in the country," sculptor Larry Nowlan, of LJN Sculptures based in Windsor, Vt., said of his 20-foot-long by 10-foot-tall by four-foot-deep sculpture relief that includes 11 players.

The piece, to be set into the wall inside the main Kinnick Stadium entrance, is due to be unveiled before the Sept. 8 opener against Syracuse.

Nowlan also created the bronze replica of Nile Kinnick in layman's clothes that stands just outside the main gate to the stadium. That was unveiled last year.

UI commissioned the pieces in October 2004. This satisfied a state law that requires 0.5 percent of building costs in a state building be devoted to art. Last year, UI completed a nearly $90 million renovation to Kinnick Stadium, meaning $435,000 had to be set aside for art work.

"We were looking for someone who could do a statue of Nile Kinnick and ultimately it got expanded to include this relief as well," said Howard Collinson, the UI Museum of Art director and chairman of the arts of campus committee. "Kinnick (renovations were) very expensive, enough to afford the relief. We said, 'Could you please do a standing statue,' and he said, 'that is enough money to do that and a relief.'"

Collinson said he has been pleased with the response to the 12-foot-tall Nile Kinnick statue and is pleased in what he has seen of the relief.

"I think the whole stadium is intended to invoke the feel of tradition. I think it invokes (Kinnick) very well. It is the aspiration of college athletics. He was a student athlete, who was a model person," Collinson said. "I think it gives nobility to football that's appropriate to the place."

Nowlan started the sculptures early in 2005 and alternated between the works. However, the second sculpture is a larger undertaking. It has taken more than 1,010 man hours, 2,500 pounds of plaster and 60 gallons of rubber.

Work on the relief is in its final stages. It is being cast and bronzed by a company in Philadelphia and then shipped to Iowa City. Nowlan will be traveling back and forth to Iowa to get everything ready for the unveiling next month.

"At this point, you are managing the scheduling of the foundry. You have to plan the installation of the piece. When it's in place, then I'll start to be a little relaxed. Until that time, there is still a little work to be done," Nowlan said.

Not an Iowan, Nowlan said the projects have made him a Hawkeye. He said he wants the people of Iowa to take ownership of his work.

"Nile is such a great example and hero, not just to the people of Iowa, but to anyone that knows his story," Nowlan said. "In this case, you are hired to pay tribute to the person. It will be a great feeling seeing the people of Iowa take ownership of it and be proud."