The TRW Aesthetic Experience
Peter
Lupori writes about sculpting "Mary"
The seven-foot
statue in front of the chapel was commissioned by the College when Anita
Pampusch was President.
I began work
on it late 1997, creating, as I had with other works cast in bronze, by
first drawing the piece on a brown paper, then roughly sculpting it out
of styrofoam, which I then covered with plasticene (oil-based clay), and
modeled until I felt the figure was finished. My son and son-in-law helped
me deliver the piece in early summer of '98 to the Anaurag Foundry (near
White Bear), where it was cast. The owners of the foundry delivered the
bronzed statue in November, 1998, to the spot in front of the chapel,
where a base had been installed following the removal of some trees and
some reshaping had been done of the ground at the base of the steps at
the west entrance to the chapel.
When I started
thinking about what I would create, I was very conscious of the fact that
the Madonna would be placed in front of the chapel of a college where
women are educated, so I wanted to make the statue reflect Mary's strength
and courage. I also considered the name of the chapel--Our Lady of Victory--as
well as some of the legends about Mary: she is sometimes referred to as
queen of heaven, which is why I created a crown and have her feet surrounded
by moon and stars. I also wanted to show her as welcoming those who come
to the chapel, so her arms are not folded in prayer as she is frequently
shown but with hands outstretched in a gesture of welcome.
I felt I
had accomplished the aspect of a strong woman when my wife and I went
over to see the statue the night it was installed and Catherine said,
"She looks like an assertive woman!" "Assertive" is
a word I think fits the statue.
At the time
the remodeled chapel was rededicated, Archbishop Flynn blessed the statue.
It seems
to me to weather very well. I hope that sometime in the future lighting
will be installed so that the statue can be seen in all lights. I am glad
it is visible from Cleveland Avenue in good daylight.
Peter
Lupori, March 2004