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Segal Inspires High School Students
Thirteen
life-size plaster sculptures depicting teenagers in typical adolescent activities
— talking on the phone, studying, playing sports — will go on display
in various locations throughout the State Historical Museum December 2 through
January 8.
Des Moines Roosevelt High School art students created the Segal-esque sculptures this fall under the direction of teacher Becky Johnson. As part of the exhibit installation process, museum curators and designers are teaching the students how to prepare them professionally for public display.
The
public got its first look at the sculptures about a month ago as part of To
All Gates: Destination – Roosevelt, an art exhibit based on the George
Segal piece To All Gates. Johnson also recruited several Roosevelt-area
business owners to display the sculptures in their stores this month.
Students from three classes worked on the sculptures for nearly five weeks, dividing into teams to create their projects. One person from each team served as a model and had different parts of his or her body wrapped in plaster bandages.
The students drew inspiration from activities they do every day. For example,
Can You Hear Me Now? depicts a girl talking on a cell phone. Another
shows a girl playing guitar.
Walker saw the sculptures during a visit to the school in early November and suggested they be put on display at the museum.
“It’s
a perfect fit,” Walker said. “Part of our mission is to encourage
culture and the arts, and another part is to support the educational efforts of
others. Bringing these students into the museum and having them undergo this process
adds another dimension to the lessons their learning in the classroom.”
