“Nature in Motion”: Sculpture at Lincoln Park Zoo!

Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo has long been home to remarkable public sculpture, from Edward McCartan’s Eugene Field Memorial (better known as “Dream Lady”) dedicated in 1922 to the more recent addition of a bronze likeness of late African lion Adelor created by local artists Jeffrey and Anna Koh Varilla.

The zoo is now introducing an exciting new take on sculpture! From May through October 2015, fifteen sculptures by 16 Chicago-area artists are on display throughout the zoo’s gardens.

Included amongst these sculptures is Mary Seyfarth’s patinated, cast-bronze plant sculpture titled “Tendril Pod” (pictured above right with Mary). Mary’s sculpture, which she created using sculpture waxes and ceramic shell materials from REMET, is elegantly enigmatic in its depiction of nature’s perpetuity. An oval pod sways gently on a vertical stem, issuing a second pod, which begins to grow back into the plant. The spiral shape of the base—the plant’s “root system”—furthers the circle-of-life motif.

Mary is an artist, educator, and long-time supporter of REMET through her valuable participation on our “Shaping the Future Award” program held annually in conjunction with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work has been exhibited and won awards locally, nationally, and internationally.

This exhibit also includes a welded steel piece, entitled “Dodge”, by Eric W. Stephenson, another friend and supporter of REMET.

This free, public exhibition builds on our decades-long tradition with an aesthetic flourish that feels right at home among the zoo’s artful gardens and architecturally unique buildings. The participating artists have interpreted the show’s name and theme—“Nature in Motion”—in various ways that will delight visitors discovering the sculptures while wandering the zoo’s grounds.

“Nature in Motion,” of course, also calls to mind Lincoln Park Zoo’s preeminent mission: connecting people to nature. From the animals they care for and conserve to the seasonal transformations of its lush landscapes, Chicago’s landmark, free zoo is a living, thriving composition that is forever in motion.