Sculpture Installation Begins Downtown

As you look around DowntownThe fifty-three sculptures are positioned in their new place of residence for the summer of 2008 – Stamford Downtown, University of Connecticut Stamford and Stamford Town Center. These sculptures are part of the DSSD’s outdoor summer sculpture exhibit, ENCORE! J. Seward Johnson, A Sculpture Exhibit, which is presented by Stamford Special Services District in partnership with The Sculpture Foundation, National Realty & Development Corp. and Apollo Real Estate Advisors will feature 53 sculptures on loan to the City of Stamford by The Sculpture Foundation.

Photo by Vincent Rodriguez The extraordinary collection of J. Seward Johnson’s works with its whimsical and realistic life-sized characters (and a monumental 25 foot edition of A Turn of the Century) will grace our downtown. Sculptures will be chosen from three of Johnson’s major series: “Celebrating the Familiar,” “Icons Revisited” and “Beyond the Frame.” The “Beyond the Frame” series, Johnson’s sculptures depicting impressionist art, will be on display in the galleries of the University of Connecticut in Stamford Downtown.

Installation began yesterday, Wednesday, May 28 from 5 am to 11 am. It took the city traffic division team, a CRANE, two fork-lifts and a loader truck to install them. Their installation is an event in itself and has drawn crowds with very curious onlookers as each piece is hoisted from the holding area and transported via an open-air truck to its location amid ongoing activity.

On June 9, the DSSD will host an opening reception for ENCORE!, the official kickoff celebration and viewing for sponsors and the public at the Stamford Marriott. A special event this year will showcase one of J. Seward Johnson’s pieces coming to Stamford, Forever Marilyn. On June 10, Stamford Downtown will conduct a Marilyn Monroe Look-alike Contest at the Avon Theatre including an airing of Some Like It Hot.

For more information about ENCORE!, Art in Public Places 2008, call 203-348-5285 or visit www.stamford-downtown.com.