Bronzes for the Blind: Polar Bear - Tucson, Arizona
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Max and 99
N 32° 12.482 W 110° 55.239
12S E 507478 N 3563497
One of several Bronzes for the Blind sculptures located in Tucson's Reid Park Zoo
Waymark Code: WM958F
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 06/30/2010
Views: 6
Reid Park Zoo has several Bronzes for the Blind sculptures that are designed to assist visually impaired visitors learn about the animals. Each one is about 24 inches wide, and most up to a foot tall, and is accompanied by an information plaque that includes a braille description of the animal. Each sculpture is located next to the habitat of the zoo animal it represents.
The Polar Bear sculpture is located right in front of the upper level of the polar bear viewing area. The bear is in a typical standing position, looking slightly to the side.
It's hard to believe that polar bears can survive in Tucson's heat, but their fur when wet acts like a swamp cooler, and makes the climate here quite enjoyable to them.
From the Smithsonian Art database:
Description:
A polar bear stands in profile with front feet slightly elevated due to the angle formed by rocks at his feet. The front and rear legs are parallel to each other. The bear turns his head out, to his proper right. The sculpture is mounted upon a block base with a slanted upper front.
Dimensions:
Sculpture: approx. 11 1/2 x 14 1/2 x 8 1/2 in.; Base: 44 x 30 x 18 in.
Inscription:
Mark Rossi (On plaque on upper front of base, in English and in Braille:) Gift from Lee Brooks Thornton/and Mark Rossi signed
Remarks:
The sculpture was a gift from the artist and Lee Brooks Thornton, a pioneer supporter of the Reid Park Zoo. It is part of the Bronzes for the Blind, a project developed by the zoo to offer the blind tactile images of zoo animals. Each sculpture is placed at hand-level where it can be touched. The project is an ongoing collaboration between the zoo and the artist.
TITLE: Bronzes for the Blind: Polar Bear
ARTIST(S): Rossi, Mark, sculptor. Sculpture Resource Studio, founder. Desert Crucible Foundry, founder.
DATE: 1990.
MEDIUM: Sculpture: bronze; Base: concrete.
CONTROL NUMBER: IAS AZ000589
Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link]
PHYSICAL LOCATION:
Reid Park Zoo: 1100 S. Randolph Way; Tucson, Arizona
DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH:
none
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Visit Instructions:
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