Artist to Talk About Vision for Courtyard Memorializing Dean Atkinson

FOR RELEASE: Monday, November 26, 2007 (from dailyheadlines.uark.edu/11875.htm)

Artist to Talk About Vision for Courtyard Memorializing Dean Atkinson

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - When the late Dean Richard Atkinson first spoke to world-renowned artist and sculptor Jesús Moroles in 2004 about designing a courtyard to be included in the expansion of the University of Arkansas School of Law, he said, “I want it to be a place that visitors to Fayetteville have on their ‘must see’ list.”Although Atkinson passed away before the project was started, his vision is set to become a reality. The Richard B. Atkinson Memorial Courtyard is scheduled to open in spring 2008.

Moroles will share his insights and vision for the courtyard at a donor event Friday, Nov. 30, in the School of Law’s E.J. Ball Courtroom. During the special evening, he will present the courtyard’s formal design, which he calls “Dreamscape.”

School of Law Dean Cyndi Nance said the event will mark a milestone in the completion of the building’s renovations.

“For the past year, the Law School community has watched as dirt was moved, concrete was poured and stained and the shape of the courtyard evolved,” Nance said. “We are excited to watch as Jesús brings his skillful and artistic concepts to life and creates a beautiful space for everyone to enjoy.”

Michael Hollomon, Atkinson’s life partner, said he and Atkinson bought Standing Mesa Tree, one of Moroles’ sculptures, in August 2004 and became more familiar with the artist’s work. The two avidly followed Moroles’ career, attending shows and visiting several galleries. He said the more they learned about Moroles, the more Atkinson envisioned him designing the courtyard.

“Richard had a dream of creating a welcoming place not only for the Law School, but also for the community as a whole. He imagined a place suited for community gatherings, concerts and other events that reflected our passion for art,” Hollomon said. “He felt Jesús could create that type of space. We especially like the clean lines in his pieces and the incredible artistic vision and execution he exhibits.”

Moroles presented a 3-D design for the courtyard, which will represent a riverbed with various levels and diverse vegetation, in May 2006. He used materials from his own garden to represent the vegetation in the courtyard. Hollomon said Moroles later told him he rarely ever made models of his designs but felt this project was important and wanted to make it special.

During his career, Moroles’ work has been included in more than 130 one-person exhibitions and 200 group exhibitions. His artwork has been reviewed and detailed in publications such as Newsweek, Time, The New York Times, Artspace, Arts, Artweek, Southwest Art, ARTNEWS, Artforum and numerous books. He is a practiced lecturer about not only his work, but the issue of public sculpture as well.

His work has been commissioned by the likes of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Edwin A. Ulrich Museum in Wichita, Kan. Collections of his art have been exhibited in museums around the nation, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, N.M., the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum in New York.

Moroles has been awarded the Awards in the Visual Arts Fellowship and a National Endowment for the Arts Matching Grant, as well as international acclaim for his large-scale granite sculptures. He obtained his bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of North Texas and currently lives and works in Rockport, Texas.

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Contact: Macey A. Panach, director of communications
School of Law
(479) 575-6111, panach@uark.edu