AUSTIN, Texas—A decision will be made by the beginning of December on which artists will be commissioned to create bronze statues of two nationally recognized champions of civil rights that will be located on the main campus at The University of Texas at Austin.
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One of the four maquettes of the statue of Barbara Jordan on display at Gregory Gymnasium.
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Photo: Christina Murrey
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Students and university officials, during a press conference on campus Thursday, Oct. 6, unveiled maquettes (small models) submitted by artists selected as finalists in competition for the commission of statues honoring the late U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan and the late Cesar Chavez, a civil rights and labor leader who became a spiritual force for social change.
The Chavez statue will be unveiled in March 2007 and the Jordan statue unveiling will be in April 2007.
Dr. Juan Gonzalez, vice president for student affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, told reporters the statue projects emerged as student initiatives and he praised the students for being the driving force behind the projects.
The four maquettes of Barbara Jordan were displayed Thursday morning in Gregory Gymnasium and the four of Cesar Chavez were shown across the street at the Perry-Castañeda Library. The maquettes will be on display until Nov. 30 at those locations and the public is invited to submit comments to suggestion boxes at those sites to indicate which statues they like best. The comments and recommendations from jurists selected from the Texas Commission on the Arts will be taken into consideration by the committees selecting the artists for each statue. The committees include students, staff and faculty members.
The finalists being considered by the Barbara Jordan statue committee to design the statue of Jordan, which will be near the Battle Oaks at 24th and Whitis streets, are Erik Blome of Crystal Lake, Ill.; Kim Crowley of Santa Fe, N.M.; Eddie Dixon of Lubbock, Texas; and David Newton of Dallas.
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One of the four model concepts of the statue of Cesar Chavez on view at the Perry-Castañeda Library.
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Photo: Marsha Miller
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Finalists under consideration by the Cesar Chavez statue committee to design the statue of Chavez, which will be placed on the south side of the West Mall across from the Flawn Academic Center, are Tina Allen of North Hills, Calif.; Littleton Alston of Omaha, Neb.; Pablo Eduardo of Gloucester, Mass.; and Bruce Wolfe of Piedmont, Calif.
“I’ve started my 18th year as an administrator on this campus and during my career there have been many times I’ve been proud of our students,” said Associate Dean of Students Sherri Sanders, coordinator for the Jordan statue project. “But today I was especially proud in seeing the work these two groups have done by coming together and making an enormous statement about the importance of a welcoming and inclusive community here at The University of Texas at Austin.”
Associate Dean of Students Margarita Arellano said, “The commission of the statues honoring the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez and Barbara Jordan are of great importance to our university community. The statues represent a powerful statement that the university acknowledges the diversity of our students, faculty and staff and we honor and celebrate that diversity. It is clear to me this is the beginning of a new age in the future of the university.”
For more information contact: Robert D. Meckel, Office of Public Affairs, 512-475-7847.
