We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.
Some guy named Bob Ross said that.
The City of Oxford, the University of Mississippi, and the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council recently announced the launching of its first outdoor sculpture program. The collaborative program, called the Yokna Sculpture Trail, will provide a total of 17 to 20 large-scale sculptures annually on a staggered two-year exhibition schedule.
There will be an opening reception for the Yokna Sculpture Trail hosted by Leadership Lafayette on April 23rd at Pat Lamar Park.
“We have two sculptors who live in Oxford and are getting their Master of Fine Arts from the University of Mississippi, Stacey Rathert and Seth Thibodaux,” Earl Dismuke, Resident Artist of the City of Oxford said. “They both have two sculptures in the outdoor exhibition. Stacey’s pieces are ‘Which Way Home’ at the Powerhouse and ‘You Are Here’ at Meek Hall. Seth’s pieces are ‘The Aviator’ at Lamar Park and ‘Swoop’ at Meek Hall.”
There will be five artists present at the ribbon cutting on April 23rd. Dismuke says that the response from artists around the nation was overwhelming with 69 sculptures to choose from.
“The three-man selection committee tried to pick work based on the following areas: One: We wanted to represent Southern artists if possible,” he said. “Two: We wanted to attract the highest level of artist possible. Three: We wanted diversity of works (materials, subject matter, style, and artist). Four: We considered works and how they integrated with the space. Five: We also considered interplay between works and other works in the exhibit, and Six: We looked at subject matter as related to placement. This allowed us to bring some national renowned artists to the Yokna Sculpture Trail Project.”
The City of Oxford, the University of Mississippi, and the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council announce the launching of its first outdoor sculpture program throughout Oxford, Mississippi. The collaborative program, called the Yokna Sculpture Trail, will provide a total of 17 to 20 large-scale sculptures annually on a staggered two year exhibition schedule.
The sculptures for 2015-2017 have been selected and will begin arriving in April 2015. There will be an opening reception for the Yokna Sculpture Trail hosted by Leadership Lafayette on April 23rd at Pat Lamar Park.
Exhibit Locations
Pat Lamar Park – Lamar Park is designed as an outdoor arboretum to be enjoyed for its greenery, lovely walking trails, garden features, and quiet lakes. The mission and use of the park is to enhance the lives of its patrons through quiet outdoor pursuits with focus on individual or family activities and enjoyment. The park, which was once a golf course, is located within a short walking distance of the downtown Oxford Square and the University of Mississippi. This location will provide nine pads for sculptures on the trail.
Powerhouse Sculpture Garden – This garden offers four large pads for outdoor sculpture. It is located just off the Square in downtown Oxford. The garden is positioned outside Oxford’s historic Powerhouse Community Arts Center which is home to the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. The Building was originally built in 1928 as the city’s main power supply until 1952 when TVA replaced it as the main source of power for the area. In 2008 the old power plant became the Powerhouse Community Arts Center, and it is now the home of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. It now serves as an integral venue for theater and art classes, performances, and community events.
Rebel Sculpture Park – This park is located in the heart of the University of Mississippi’s campus which is renowned for its beautifully landscaped gardens. The campus draws a student population of around 15,000 annually and continues to grow with each passing year. The campus site offers three sculpture pads in a large triangular shaped courtyard directly in front of Meek Hall which is home to the Department of Art and Art History.
Founders
Co-founders of the Yokna Sculpture Trail include Wayne Andrews – Director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, Earl Dismuke – Resident Artist of the City of Oxford, and Durant Thompson – Associate Professor of Sculpture at the University of Mississippi.
Questions
Any questions regarding the Yokna Sculpture Trail program or website should contact Yoknapatawpha Arts Council at (662) 236-6429 or email yacdirector@gmail.com. Additional questions regarding the Yokna Sculpture Trail’s application process or the installation and removal procedure should contact Durant Thompson at durant@olemiss.edu.
