A sculpture created by students in the College of Communication and Fine Arts (CCFA) at the University of Memphis was unveiled at Ford BlueOval City during a dedication ceremony on May 8.
The sculpture, which symbolizes growth, opportunity and partnership, was a collaborative effort by students and faculty in the Department of Art and Design and stakeholders in the regional art community. Youngblood Studio, the Frank Balton Sign Company and a team of tradespeople assisted in shaping the steel and bringing the vision to life.
“What began as a simple request for a site marker quickly became something much more meaningful,” said Lucas Charles, associate dean of Academic and Student Affairs and professor of Graphic Design at CCFA. “This project evolved into a dynamic collaboration between industry and higher education, rooted in creativity, community and shared vision. Today we are not just unveiling a sculpture. We are unveiling a symbol of what is possible when education and innovation come together with purpose.”
The design commissioned by Ford was selected by an advisory board from a range of concepts submitted by University of Memphis students. Initially asked to develop 20 ideas, the students exceeded expectations by producing 40 unique concepts.
The steel sculpture features metal trunks and canopy carveouts with emblems signifying various ideas and values interwoven together including wings to symbolize freedom; roots to symbolize expansion; a bridge to symbolize building connections among communities; leaves to symbolize new life; and many more meaningful curves and lines both literal and symbolic.
“It is an honor to stand with you at the foot of this remarkable sculpture. It captures — in steel and light — the spirit of BlueOval City and what we are building together here in West Tennessee,” said Dan Brady, director of Electric Vehicle Sales & Retail Marketing for Ford.
“We learned, before we ever sketched a line, that public art is public service.”
-Mark Rawlinson
The collaboration began more than two years ago when BlueOval City announced a creative challenge. The University of Memphis was selected to create the sculpture utilizing a literal or abstract direction. To meet the challenge, the University created a class specifically for the sculpture project led by Kelsey Harrison, professor in the Department of Art and Design and six UofM students in graphic design and sculpture — Kiya Hsu, Lydia Jackson, Mia Nance, Mark Rawlinson, Evan Russell and Jessica Sathongnhoth.
The art sculpture is the culmination of several semesters and countless hours of dedication from both UofM students and faculty. Among their first assignments according to the students was not welding or 3-D modeling but listening.
“We drove here, walked the fields where this amazing site now resides, and talked with the mayor of Stanton, cannery workers and lifelong residents who were eager to understand what Ford’s impact on this community would really be,” said Rawlinson, who graduated in December with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in graphic design. “We learned, before we ever sketched a line, that public art is public service, You have to understand the people who will live with the work every day.”
Part of conceptualizing the design involved studying industrial gateways including the Chicago Stockyards, Ford’s Rouge Complex, and blending those ideas to incorporate a vision for an eco-friendly future. The color palette incorporates Ford’s colors but also plays homage to the UofM with shades of blue using industrial paint used on Ford vehicles. LED wash lights will illuminate the sculpture in the evenings.
“The other students and I are graduating with a line on our résumés that most artists wait decades to earn, and Ford gains a landmark that could only have come from the soil, culture and imagination of West Tennessee,” Rawlinson said.
Located in Stanton, Tenn, BlueOval City stretches across 3,600 acres – nearly six square miles and is home to the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center of Ford’s assembly plant. It also houses BlueOval SK a battery plant supplier. Through the venture, Ford is bringing thousands of job opportunities to the local economy in the Mid-South.
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