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Friends of Hemming Park Partners with UNF to Bring Student Created Public Art to Hemming Park

October 1st, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Eight UNF sculpture students, under the supervision of professor Jennifer Hager (above), have created proposals and models for a sculpture to be installed in Hemming Park

Friends of Hemming Park (“FOHP”) is pleased to announce its partnership with the University of North Florida (“UNF”) to launch a unique public art experience that will bring student-created sculpture to Hemming Park. The first sculpture will be installed during the spring of 2019; FOHP and UNF intend that this will be a multi-year project, with at least five iterations. Funding for this project will be provided solely by FOHP, with the support of private donors.

The innovative public art project will provide a professional development opportunity for advanced sculpture students and create public art to enrich the quality of life of residents of, and visitors to, the City of Jacksonville. Participating UNF students will work with sculpture faculty to create proposals and models for sculpture to be installed in Hemming Park for a period of one year.

Eight sculpture students from UNF have created maquettes – small scale models – engaging in themes of local flora, fauna, and Jacksonville history. The maquettes will be exhibited in the MOCA Learning Lounge and the public will have the opportunity to vote on a “People’s Choice Award” for one maquette. This award will also serve as a vote towards the selection of the winning proposal to be installed as a full-scale sculpture in Hemming Park. In late October, students will present their proposals to a selection panel comprised of downtown residents, business owners and representatives of organizations including JaxParks, the JPL, MOCA Jacksonville, Friends of Hemming Park and the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. The panel will select one student artist to fabricate a sculpture which will be created under the supervision of Jennifer Hager, UNF sculpture professor, and Lance Vickery, UNF assistant professor of sculpture. The winning proposal will be revealed on November 1, 2018.

FOHP will provide a cash prize to the student artist, sufficient to cover all costs of fabrication. The sculpture will be completed and installed in Hemming Park for a period of one year. During this year, the student artist will retain ownership of the sculpture and will receive assistance in marketing its sale. All proceeds of any sale will be retained by the student artist. An opening reception recognizing the student artists, funders and other supporters will be hosted by Friends of Hemming Park to celebrate the installation of the sculpture during the spring of 2019.

“Friends of Hemming Park is thrilled to partner with the University of North Florida and MOCA to provide this opportunity for emerging local artists” said Christina Parrish Stone, Managing Director of Friends of Hemming Park. “We especially appreciate the support of UNF Sculpture Professor Jennifer Hager and MOCA Director Caitlin Doherty, who have been instrumental in creating this important initiative. This project will help students learn to navigate the challenging process of responding to calls for public art and offer one student an opportunity to create and sell a significant work, while improving the experience of visitors to Hemming Park. ” UNF sculpture professor Jennifer Hager noted that “This project offers a wonderful opportunity for our students to create a piece of public art. The students get real world experience with public art proposals, presenting their work before a selection committee, working within a budget, as well as engineering, building and installing a large-scale piece of sculpture.”

For more information about the Hemming Park Sculpture Initiative and to learn about benefits for funders of the project, please contact Christina Parrish Stone at [email protected].

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