City of Sculpture Recognized

By Richard O. Jones
Reprinted with permission of the Journal-News

Today, Hamilton will be recognized statewide as the “City of Sculpture.”

Governor Bob Taft will be on hand to make an official proclamation at a 2 p.m. ceremony to unveil “The Hamilton Gateway” and dedicate the city government’s new home in One Renaissance Center at the corner of High Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

“The Hamilton Gateway” is a 65-foot high sculpture created for that spot by Minneapolis artists Stanton Sears and Andrea Myklebust. One Renaissance Center is the companion structure to the Government Services Center, which houses Butler County courts and other offices.

The dedication and unveiling will be part of a  full day of activities, beginning at noon with entertainment on the plaza, featuring an “acoustical playground” for children, set up by electronic music composer Tom Jordan.  The playground will include computers, synthesizers, and other “gadgets and gizmos” that will create interesting sounds.  In addition, there will be a mime and juggler.

A fund-raising luncheon, sponsored by the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, will take place in the Winter Garden of the Government Services Center. The Hamilton City Club-catered event, will provide a first opportunity to meet the sculptors, and other officials.  Dr. Wayne Lawson, executive director of the Ohio Arts Council, will serve as emcee.

At 2 p.m., a brass quartet will kick off the the official dedication  and unveiling ceremonies, which will include Mary Johnson, soprano, singing The National Anthem. 

Mayor Adolf Olivas will serve as emcee of the event. Joining him will be Taft, State Representative Greg Jolivette, the Butler County Commissioners and members of Hamilton City Council.

The sculptors of “The Hamilton Gateway” will be recognized, as will the donors of the sculpture, Judge John Moser, and his wife Shirley, and Jeff Thurman, chairman of the Government Services Center Task Force.

At 4 p.m., Myklebust and Sears will present in a lecture about their new work of art, in the theatre of the Fitton Center for Creative Arts. 

This will be followed by a reception to meet the sculptors, and the opening of an exhibit in the Fitton Center Lobby Gallery, showing the evolution of The Hamilton Gateway through photographs and scale models.  Music will be provided by the Oxford band, Anachrorhythms.

The lecture and reception are free and open to the public.