| Artist | Casey Eskridge |
|---|---|
| Year | 2005 |
| Type | Aluminum |
| Dimensions | 94 cm × 43 cm × 51 cm (37 in × 17 in × 20 in) |
| Location | Indianapolis, Indiana, United States |
| Owner | Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis |
Torso Fragment, a public sculpture by American artist Casey Eskridge, is located on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus, which is near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The piece is on loan from the artist to IUPUI and is located outside of the west entrance to Eskenazi Hall on IUPUI's campus. Eskenazi Hall houses Indiana University’s Herron School of Art and is located at 735 W. New York Street in Indianapolis. The sculpture was created in 2005.
Torso Fragment is 20" long by 17" wide by 37" high. The metal work of public art stands atop a concrete base, with a label identifying the artist, title, and year of creation on the proper front (south side) of the base.
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“The torso piece, commissioned by his alma mater, the Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, resembles a piece from classical antiquity, except that instead of being carved in stone, it's formed from aluminum” [1]. Eskridge's creation of Torso Fragment was clearly influenced by the classical sculpture developed during the 5th century BC in Ancient Greece and the exaggerated contrapposto form.
This silver sculpture of a male torso twists in a classical S Curve form, with the proper right thigh extending forward and its counterpart—the proper left thigh—in a flexed, straight position. The S Curve continues with a slight twist in the torso and finishes with the proper right shoulder raised while proper left shoulder slacked and extended downward. The sculpture can be described as “a truncated male figure that shows a muscular torso slightly turned - might have been lifted from an archaeological ruin” [1]. Departing from this reference to classical sculpture, Torso Fragment is hollow and aluminum, reminding a viewer of its modern origins.
Torso Fragment is one of three sculptures by Casey Eskridge throughout the campus of IUPUI. The other two works are a commissioned fictional bust of the patron saint of nurses, St. Camillus de Lellis installed in the School of Nursing and another bust, of Dr. Joseph T. Taylor, the first dean of the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI [2].
Torso Fragment was created in 2005 for the First Sculpture Invitational [3]. It is located outdoors, just west of Eskenazi Hall.
Torso Fragment is part of a collection of outdoor sculptures displayed and located at IUPUI's campus. This sculpture was added to the collection in 2005. It was selected for the first Public Sculpture Invitational exhibition hosted by the Herron School of Art and Design, which provided a showcase for the work of “15 artists each represented by a single work.” [3] The exhibit included fifteen public works of art on view outdoors from May 2005 to August 2006. Featured artists included Herron School of Art and Design faculty Katrin Asbury, Greg Hull, and Eric Nordgulen. Other artists included David Bellamy, Barbara Cooper, Tom Otterness, John Ruppert, James Wille Faust, Edward Mayer, Don Gummer, Judith Shea, Casey Eskridge, Wim Delvoye, Tom Sachs, and Arney Nadler. Funds from the Cultural Development Commission, Ruth Lilly, IU New Frontiers Grant Program, and the IUPUI Campus Arts Committee supported the exhibition.[4]
Casey Eskridge grew up in rural Indiana, the son of a farmer. He spent his time “playing sports and being outdoors” [1].
As a sculptor, Eskridge is best known for a “naturalistic approach to the figure, recognizing human imperfections and the character within the figure" [3]. Eskridge, who earned his bachelor’s degree from the Herron School of Art and Design in 1997 [2] received his Master of Fine Arts degree in 2002 from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Eskridge’s commissioned works also include "Birth of Apollo", a bronze sculpture which was unveiled as the centerpiece of the main fountain during the September 9, 2006 opening gala of the at the $120 million Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, Tennessee. This marked a “pinnacle moment in the young man's remarkable career”, as Eskridge beat out over 150 artists to create this sculpture, “launching him onto the world stage of renowned artists” [5]. The four works of sculpture at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center together carry a “price tag of $1.5 million drawn from the construction budget and the landscaping budget” [5].
As of February 2009, "the artist is currently working on the official portrait of former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson that will hang in the Indianapolis City County Building" [6].
Casey Eskridge is listed as a notable alumnus of IUPUI in “America’s Best Colleges” [7]. Eskridge was even named a recipient of the “Recent Outstanding Alumni Award” in 2004 [8]. In addition, images of his sculptures have won ‘Photo of the Month’ on the website About.com [9].
He works from his home, a “converted church built in 1873 in the southern Chester County”, in Avondale, Pennsylvania as a professional sculptor [1].
A Museum Studies course at IUPUI recently undertook the project of researching and reporting on the condition of 40 outdoor sculptures on the university campus. Torso Fragment was included in this movement.[10] This documentation was influenced by the successful Save Outdoor Sculpture! 1989 campaign organized by Heritage Preservation: The National Institute of Conservation partnered with the Smithsonsian Institution, specifically the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Throughout the 1990s, over 7,000 volunteers nationwide have cataloged and assessed the condition of over 30,000 publicly accessible statues, monuments, and sculptures installed as outdoor public art across the United States [11].
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