UofL to play host to largest exhibit of works by Frederick Hart
June 4th, 2007
Frederick Hart’s Truth and Beauty
The University of Louisville is bringing the largest exhibition of works by renowned sculptor Frederick Hart to Louisville this fall.
“Frederick Hart: Giving Form to Spirit” is a free, public exhibition of up to 100 acrylic and bronze works by Hart. It will run Sept. 5 through Nov. 17 at several sites on Belknap Campus and at the Cressman Center for Visual Arts downtown.
Labeled “America’s greatest sculptor” by renowned critic Tom Wolfe, Hart may be best known for his Three Soldiers statue at the Vietnam Memorial and for Ex Nihilo, or Creation, which graces the entry to the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. While much of his work is in bronze, Hart also gained renown for creating and patenting a process of casting clear acrylic resin, which allowed him to “sculpt with light.”
UofL and community leaders have been working for almost a year to bring the exhibit to Louisville. UofL President James Ramsey and Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson are serving as honorary co-chairs of the event.
The exhibition will be funded through private sources.
Every school and college at the university will participate in the activities in some way. For instance, the Theatre Arts Department and the School of Music will perform works related to the exhibit. The exhibition also will include several public lectures related to Hart’s work, including talks by social critic Michael Novak and art critic Donald Kuspit.
UofL is working with Jefferson County Public Schools and others to ensure that students and community groups take advantage of the exhibit. The Cressman Center will focus in part on Hart’s processes and will include many tools and working models the artist used in his work.
“The University of Louisville is uniquely positioned to offer this sort of event to the public,” Ramsey said. “We’re pleased to be able to expose our community to the beauty of Hart’s work and to introduce our citizens to our outstanding venues and programming in fine arts, music and theater.”
Related Link
Frederick Hart: Giving Form to Spirit
Frederick Hart
