Historical Museum installs Roosevelt students’ sculpture exhibit
For Immediate Release December 6, 2005
DES MOINES – Some unique and unusual guests have found temporary housing at the State Historical Museum.
With the help of curators and designers, Roosevelt High School art students have put 13 life-size plaster sculptures on display in various locations throughout the museum through January 8. The sculptures, created by the students under the direction of teacher Becky Johnson, depict teenagers in typical activities — talking on the phone, studying, playing sports. As part of the exhibit installation process, museum staff taught the students how to prepare the sculptures for public display.
“The State Historical Society of Iowa is committed to partnering with organizations and schools like Roosevelt as we tell the stories of Iowa,” Department of Cultural Affairs Director Anita Walker said. “The stories presented here with this work represent moments that many of us see — teenagers doing their everyday activities. Through this exhibit, we are able to see teenagers in new ways. This project exemplifies the best of creativity and collaboration, both through the work on the artist teams and also with the installation here.”
During the past few weeks, museum staff taught the students professional display techniques involving exhibit installation, writing labels and loan agreements, and analyzing the “health” of their sculptures during the installation and exhibit process.
“The students wrote their own labels with direction from our curators,” Walker said. “They learned proper phrasing for exhibit purposes, professional research and display standards, and ongoing care and maintenance of their sculptures.”
The public got its first look at the sculptures about a month ago as part of “To All Gates: Destination – Roosevelt,” an art exhibit based on the George Segal piece “To All Gates.” Johnson also recruited several Roosevelt-area business owners to display the sculptures in their stores last month.
“The whole thrust of this work was to focus on high school students being typical students caught in typical high school activities,” Johnson said. “For most adults, high school was the last major educational experience they had, so we wanted the sculptures to be something that would help them refocus and remember what it was like to be human and in high school. We wanted to show people ‘this is what we’re really about.’”
Students from three classes worked on the sculptures for nearly five weeks, dividing into teams to create their projects. One person from each team served as a model and had different parts of his or her body wrapped in plaster bandages. The students drew inspiration from activities they do every day. For example, “Can You Hear Me Now?” depicts a girl talking on a cell phone. Another shows a girl playing guitar.
Walker saw the sculptures during a visit to the school in early November and suggested they be put on display at the museum.
“It’s a perfect fit,” Walker said. “Part of our mission is to encourage culture and the arts, and another part is to support the educational efforts of others. Bringing these students into the museum and having them undergo this process adds another dimension to the lessons they’re learning in the classroom.”
After installing the sculptures, the students received an additional learning opportunity – a behind-the-scenes museum tour led by curators. During the tour, the students learned how a museum operates and functions. It also saw how the museum uses its wood shop, metal shop and graphic design offices to create exhibits.
The State Historical Museum is at 600 E. Locust Street in the heart of Des Moines’ Historic East Village. Museum hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday and Noon-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free and open to the public.
The State Historical Museum is operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, a trustee of Iowa’s historical legacy and an advocate for understanding Iowa’s past. It identifies, records, collects, preserves, manages and provides access to Iowa’s historical resources. Its dual mission of preservation and education serves Iowans of all ages, conducts and stimulates research, disseminates information, and encourages and supports historical preservation and education efforts of others throughout the state.
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