Red, Blond, Black, and Olive - Bloomington, IN, USA - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

About the Work

Chosen through a competition by a committee of artists, businessmen, Bloomington citizens and Mayor Francis X. McCloskey, this sculpture is considered the initial achievement of Bloomington's Community Arts Commission. After being situated in the center of Miller-Showers Park for 22 years Red, Blonde, Black and Olive was relocated to its current plaza in 2002. Aptly representing the diverse population of Bloomington, the two statues have four faces between them. Each face features a different major world race. Viewed from one side, the faces of an Asiatic woman and African woman stare at each other. An Indian man and Nordic man are face-to-face on the other side. The piece is meant to promote and celebrate communication across racial lines, and work towards universal understanding among people. The gap between the two columns is as important as the faces themselves. It is the space where conversation takes place, people come together and truths are revealed.


About the Artist

Jean-Paul Darriau was a celebrated Indiana University sculptor and professor. In his lengthy career, he saw his work presented nationally and internationally at the Guggenheim Museum, the Joseph Hirshhorn collection in Washington D.C., the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Denver Art Museum, the Galleria Schneider in Rome and the Smithsonian Institute. Born in 1929 in New York City, the son of French immigrants, Darriau attended the High School of Music and Art. He received his bachelor's degree from Brooklyn College in 1951 and his M.F.A from the University of Minnesota in 1954. Two Fulbright grants took him to Italy and France where he mastered bronze casting techniques at the Instituto d'Arte in Florence and the Guastini Foundry in Pastoria.

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Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Red, Blond, Black and Olive Figure Type: Human Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Jean-Paul Darriau Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: 1980 Materials used: Indiana Limestone Location: Miller-Showers Park

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/17/2013 pfeng visited it