Bust of Sanford Steadman
Steffen Wolfgang George Thomas Bust of Steadman Sanford, 1945Bronze and GraniteWhile looking at the bust, ask yourself what do you notice? What jumps out immediately about the placement and location of Steadman Sanford? How is he looking out at the stadium? What significance do you think he holds to the university?This bust was made in commemoration of Steadman Sanford, a man who played many roles at the University of Georgia and beyond. While at UGA, he began to develop a plan for the creation of a stadium which would propel forward athletics at the university as he worked to reorganize and improve the athletic programs. Sanford Field was the biggest stadium in the south at the time holding 30,000 people, and at its inaugural game on October 12th, 1929, nine governors from around the South were in attendance. His plans at UGA would not only change the football program forever but also transform football programs across the South. He would aid in founding the Southern Conference, or what we know now as the South Eastern Conference (SEC). However, the bust may mislead those who gaze upon it that Sanford’s only or main contribution to the University of Georgia was in the athletics departments. Contrary to this, Sanford’s career at UGA was long and beloved by many, and he held many positions including instructor, professor, founder of the Henry Grady College of Journalism, head of Grady College, Dean of Franklin College, and President of the University of Georgia. Along with athletics, he cared deeply about improving higher public education in Georgia, and this care took him to his position as the 3rd Chancellor of the Board of Regents. There are pieces of Sanford and his legacy all around campus and in public universities across Georgia. Tragically, Sanford suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage while attending a Board of Regents meeting in Atlanta. After three days at the Emory hospital, he passed on September 15th, 1945.Steffen Wolfgang George Thomas, or commonly known as Steffen Thomas, was commissioned to create a bust of Steadman Sanford shortly after his death. In a little over a month, the bust was finished and revealed to the public on the day of that year’s homecoming game against Louisiana State University, October 20th, 1945. Thomas completed many commissioned public works early in his career of other prolific Georgia figures including former Georgia governor, Eugene Talmaldge. However, Steffen Thomas’ legacy lies outside many of his public commissioned work. Thomas was a German immigrant fascinated by the American Dream who immigrated to the United States in his twenties. He was one of the most prolific artists of his time in Georgia famous for working in any and all mediums. Many of his pieces connect back his portrayal of “Brotherhood of Man” as well as motherhood and family. He is one of the only artists to have a museum solely dedicated to his life, legacy, and work. Now, the work of Steffen Thomas and the lasting legacy of Sanford continue to watch over Sanford Stadium every game day holdings stories, legacies, and achievements of its own. Discussion QuestionsDo you think the bust of Steadman Sanford and the way it is currently presented reflect his lifetime achievements? Think about where the bust is located behind a gate only to be accessed on game days. Why is this the way the bust is presented, and how does this reflect on Sanford’s legacy at UGA?Many of Thomas’ public commissioned work falls outside of the themes of his legacy of work including brotherhood and family. How can art pieces work to show artistry on a continuum that is ever-evolving for an artist?ActivitySanford dedicated most of his career to improving the University of Georgia and public higher education in the South. Think of someone today who has had a lasting educational impact on the university or in your personal life. How would you present artwork of them? What kind of artwork would you choose to reflect their educational achievements and portray the impact they have had?To Learn More… Read:“Sanford Mourned by Students, Faculty and State” The Red and Black, September 28th, 1945“Chancellor Sanford Memorial To Be Unveiled Homecoming” The Red and Black, October 5th 1945Steffen Thomas Museum of ArtWatch:Steffen Thomas: No Less Than Truth
Creationism (aka "Godwin")
Mel Chin, John Watts, and Joe Girandola Creationism, 1997Marble Upon first glance, what do you see in this sculpture? Does it confuse or disorient you? Do you feel more strongly connected to one side versus the other? Does it seem controversial? This thought-provoking piece was created by Mel Chin, Lamar Dodd Professorial Chair of Fine Arts (1994-1997) and two of Chin’s students from the University of Georgia’s MFA Sculpture program, John Watts and Joe Girandola (both class of 1996) using stone donated from a local quarry in Jasper, GA. Widely known by its nickname “Godwin,” the left side of the statue is the face of 19th-century naturalist Charles Darwin while the right side is based on Michelangelo’s depiction of God on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. The result is a surprising combination that prompts the viewer to question what they see: Is this a human being, or is it something else? Darwin’s theory of evolution, which asserts that all species evolved from a common ancestor, has attracted fierce resistance from religious groups since it was first introduced in Darwin’s seminal work On the Origin of Species in 1859. The theory challenges creationism, based on the teachings of the Bible, which says that God created all animals in their current form during a period of six days. At the time when this sculpture was created in 1996, Darwin’s theory was still the source of much-heated debate as Georgia and other states were in the midst of ongoing legal and moral debates around the rightfulness of incorporating creationist and evolutionist materials into the public school curriculum.The three-member team behind the artwork wasn’t afraid to fan the flames of this controversy. According to Girandola, the very process of carving the sculpture was used to create a “live” debate by inviting other participants to help carve the side of the statue that didn’t coincide with their personal beliefs. (For example, believers in creationism would help to carve the side of the head resembling Darwin.) As a result of this performative element, the process of carving the statue opened up broader questions between religious beliefs and scientific inquiry using the campus of a public university as a stage for this debate. Today, “Godwin” continues to watch over students entering the UGA Science Library, leaving the question of the origins of life up to the viewer while encouraging them to keep an open mind to both sides of any debate. Discussion QuestionsDo you think this statue depicts God and Darwin as opposing forces, representing the historically heated debate between creationism and evolution, or do you see this as a more neutral piece of art, allowing the two belief systems to be blended together peacefully? How can artwork help to bring attention to important debates, such as that between creationism and evolution? Is it possible for the artist(s) to remove their own beliefs in such cases? ActivityWhen "Godwin" was first placed in front of the science library in 1997, the artists behind the work fabricated additions to the nearby benches to represent a church pew on one side of the sculpture and a school desk on the other in order to represent the ongoing debate over religious beliefs in public education. Using this as inspiration, choose a different piece of artwork or other object that could be used to represent both sides of a popular debate or controversial subject. How does the object help to represent both sides? Does it help to bring the opposing ideas together in some way?To Learn More… Read:“Controversial Sculpture Finds Home at Library,” The Red and Black, October 14th, 1997““Godwin” is Monument to Creation-Evolution Debate,” UGA Research Magazine, Winter 2008“UGA: Stuck in 18th Century Science Milieu,” The Red and Black, February 26th, 1998Larson, E. J. (2008). The creation-evolution debate: historical perspectives. Athens: University of Georgia Press.Larson, E. J. (2006). Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s continuing debate over science and religion. New York: Basic Books. Watch:Open Door Interview: Mel ChinMel Chin: SculptureX Keynote Speech at the Toledo Museum of ArtListen:Modern Art Notes Podcast: No. 173: Mel Chin Momentum Lab: No Return to Normal with Artist Mel Chin
The Cube
Phil GouldingThe Cube, 1993AlabasterAs you wander past the pond and towering trees, do you wonder why this cube has been crafted in this manner?The Cube is hard to miss as it stands along a well-walked section of campus outside the Odum School of Ecology. Created in 1993, the Cube was the first sculpture that Goulding created when he arrived as a student at UGA. The Cube is a 3 to 4 foot tall sculpture made from alabaster that Phil Goulding brought from Michigan. The stone had many cracks that Goulding worked out before the sculpting had begun. This work with the stone beforehand created a familiarity that its creator said "led to a pre-dictated form". Goulding's early sculptures consist of "Amorphous Symbolism" ,which allow the viewer to apply any meaning they wish. With the Cube, Goulding wished to create an exploration of the interior and exterior form. The Cube also led to a change in how art is put on display at UGA. Goulding wished to place his sculpture around campus, but found an outdated system of applications to deans, faculty, administration and the head of food services . Goulding made an effort to streamline this process for this and future sculptures. Goulding's sculptures around campus made up more than half of the sculptures present around campus. Goulding received his MFA from UGA in 1995. Goulding also participated in a demonstration against art censorship in 1996. Today, Goulding is an active artist at the Farmington Depot Gallery.Discussion QuestionsSince the Cube is meant to fit any meaning applied to it, what do you think the Cube symbolizes? Do you think there is a meaning that the Cube cannot fit?Does the Cube adequately explore the form of a cube? Do you think it is too distinct to be a cube, or do you think it still retains it shape despite its changing form?ActivityThe Cube is an exploration of form and shape. Challenge yourself to explore the shape of a different object such as a sphere or a cone. How would you explore that shape's exterior and interior. How would you change or challenge the existing notions of that shape?To Learn More...Read:Phil Goulding Protesting Censorship The Red & Black, April 15th 1996Phil Goulding Installing a Sculpture The Red & Black, April 26th 1996Website:Phil Goulding's Artist PageThe Opening of the Farmington Depot
Stream Peace
Phil GouldingStream Peace,Granite, Pink Marble, and White MarbleAre you struggling to find this sculpture? If so, try listening for the sound of running water and you might find Stream Peace.Stream Peace is a sculpture found in the courtyard in Warnell. . The sculpture consists of three different pieces to make up a stream. The first pieces are a series of granite columns that make up the bedrock. The second piece is a slab of Etowah pink marble sculpted into a peaceful stream. The last piece is a cascading fall of Tate white marble. Goulding created the sculpture after seeing the natural beauty and geological wealth around Georgia. Goulding crafted Stream Peace during his time as a student for his midterm. The reason Goulding placed the sculpture in the courtyard is due to the nearby storm drain, which sounds like a stream when it has rained recently.Discussion QuestionsDo you think that this piece captures the natural beauty of Georgia? If so, how and if not, why?Do you think where it is right now is a good spot for it? Or would you move it elsewhere?ActivityImagine you have been tasked with capturing the natural form of Georgia. What would you try to capture in the sculpture? The animals? Plants? Natural landmarks? What ideas would you try to capture? Peace? Beauty? Vastness? Ruggedness?To Learn More...Phil Golding's Artist PageThe opening of the Farmington Depot
