History in Our Everyday Lives

Prominent Public Art within Wilmington

Conversely, when narrowing one’s view, the public art within the city of Wilmington can provide some major insight into the decisions around and behind public art. As previously stated, Wilmington’s public art largely consists of war-themed memorials and figurative statues of political figures. However, some of these works of art are worth exploring not necessarily for their subject matter, but for the stories behind them—stories that also apply to multiple works of art beyond Wilmington.

One of Wilmington’s least know public art work is the statue of President James A. Garfield, currently located in what is laughably called “Garfield Triangle Park,” a small patch of grass that serves as the side yard to an adjacent row home. Unveiled in 1895, over 5,000 proud Wilmington residents gathered to pay tribute to their president who was assassinated just four months after taking office.⁶⁰ Job H. Jackson, founder of a major shipbuilding firm, took the lead on raising the appropriate funds for the statue’s construction and installation. The Garfield monument was very purposefully placed in a prominent location outside of Jackson’s sprawling mansion (now the downtown YMCA) in “one of the most conspicuous and beautiful sites for a monument of national significance in this city,” as quoted by The Morning News on May 31, 1895. Unfortunately, the widening of Delaware Avenue (where the Garfield statue resided) in 1918 prompted the relocation of the monument, to what was then a pleasant residential area “to which the statue lent a bit of prestige.”⁶¹ Today, however, the area has deteriorated to a point where the location of the statue is practically insulting to its late nineteenth-century enthusiasts, prompting enough concern about the statue’s surroundings that “Garfield Triangle Park” was a specific piece of a revitalization plan written by a team from the University of Delaware; the plan called for the installation and maintenance of several decorative planters around the monument and a plan to attempt to reduce police service calls within a four-block radius.⁶² Obviously, the story of Garfield’s unfortunate relocation is not the only one of its kind; a more recent monument to pop culture icon, Rocky, placed at the Philadelphia Art Museum and then moved to another location on the museum’s property after much controversy, provides similar testimony to the importance of location when it comes to public art.⁶³

Just as location is a crucial area of importance when it comes to public art, so is content. In Wilmington, two works – the William McKinley Coffee Break Monument and the Josephine Tatnall Smith Memorial Fountain—present opportunities for students to examine artists’ choices of what to represent to the public. The William McKinley Coffee Break Monument in Wilmington is another presidential monument that is not without its own controversy. President William McKinley had a lifetime of notable achievements, making the scene depicted on this monument seem like a rather unconventional choice.⁶⁴ The bronze bas-relief sculpture was created by James Edward Kelly and unveiled in 1908; it depicts a teenaged McKinley serving coffee to his tired comrades during the 1862 battle of Antietam. Despite the fact that this story of McKinley’s brave hospitality became a powerful political asset during election times, it is still rather curious as to why this specific moment was chosen for immortalization and in this particular location. Another war monument, this time to Revolutionary War traitor Benedict Arnold (more accurately, to his injured foot), spurs further questions about content and why a particular object or moment is depicted over another.⁶⁵

It is not unusual that the actual content or subject matter of a piece of public art is found so important or desirable that it is simply appropriated (or outright copied) from an existing piece. While the Josephine Tatnall Smith Memorial Fountain in Brandywine Park is a well-known and well-liked piece of public art, it is far from original. An octagonal base with carved cupids, lion heads, garlands, and grotesque masks supports a chiaroscuro figure of a scantily clad woman holding a cornucopia. Created in 1931 and dedicated in 1933, it bears an incredible resemblance to The Fountain of the Labyrinth, carved in 1533 for the Medici family in Florence by artist Niccolo Tribolo. Only subtle differences separate the two; Wilmington’s fountain figure is clothed in an effort to adapt to the modesty of the early 20^th century, and aside from the addition of the cornucopia (which was not a part of Tribolo’s fountain), the two are incredibly similar.⁶⁶ Although this Wilmington example ties two works together that are separated by centuries, modern day pop artists like Jeff Koons and Claes Oldenburg who create public outdoor sculptures often find themselves in a whirlwind of controversy and copyright laws for what they deem “appropriation.” Comparing the Josephine Tatnall Smith Memorial Fountain with its obvious inspiration, the Fountain of the Labyrinth, creates the perfect opportunity in the classroom to discuss artistic appropriation.

While location and subject matter are of obvious importance, the concept of internal structure and mechanics is an unavoidable topic in any three-dimensional art class. Students are constantly faced with structural issues, whether working with wire, clay, or papier-mâché; concerns with adequate structural support and durability are always critical to keep in mind when designing any type of sculpture. The Caesar Rodney Equestrian Statue in Wilmington’s well-known Rodney Square is a rarity for its time in that it displays Caesar Rodney astride a horse in a full gallop with its two front legs in the air. James Edward Kelly (also the artist of the McKinley Coffee Break Monument) sculpted the monument in 1923 and was one of very few artists who were able to achieve this exact composition; by moving the center of gravity forward, in front of where the legs are affixed to the base, and by significantly weighting the tail, the artist was able to achieve this much sought-after depiction of a horse in gallop. Similar successes include Clark Mills’ depiction of Andrew Jackson on horseback in Washington, D.C., and controversial “Mustang” in Denver, Colorado. Other non-equestrian related works of public art that seemingly defy gravity with their structural prowess include various works by German artist, Cornelia Konrads and works by New Zealand based sculptor Neil Dawson who constructs sculptures made from aluminum and stainless steel that appear to be floating in mid-air.

The examples listed thus far are merely a tiny drop from the seemingly bottomless pool of public art, and while the analysis of specific pieces is understatedly meaningful, it is essential to place these examples within the greater context of public art. Because “public art” is an incredibly broad category, studying various examples can help one break it down into smaller categories or genres. Furthermore, examining the actual definition of public art: what falls within it and which characteristics may exclude certain works, can help contextualize specific examples.