Quad City Arts
Programs & Performances  
  Lloyd Schoeneman
Memorial Sculpture

Concept

The design has evolved over a 5-year period of design charettes participated in by community members, friends and family of Lloyd’s. Lead by artist, Stuart Morris and directed by Quad City Arts, the memorial sculpture has developed into this form after a series of concept meetings, designs, material searches, initial engineering and site changes.

This concept and design has been through committee and family approval and carries the recommendation of the Rock Island Arts Advisory Committee.

The sculpture references a dynamic trail blazing figure moving towards the river. It is meant to embody the arts and celebrate the legacy of Lloyd Schoeneman, an arts explorer who marched to his own drummer and brought along hundreds of art lovers with him, He created patrons, encouraged visual, performing and literary artists, and nurtured arts and culture in every form for the 23 years he was an active artistic force in this community.

The sculpture will be an identifiable art piece for The District of Rock Island and will act as a gateway icon large enough to draw attention through Arts Alley to 2nd Avenue from the future riverfront development.

Site

The city has identified the side walk bump out directly across from arts alley at 1720  2nd Avenue. There is currently a sculpture from the rotating program in this site. Should prep work begin at this site for the Schoeneman piece prior to the end of the rotating exhibit (May 2008), the pad and current sculpture can be moved to an alternate downtown location. Lloyd Schoeneman's Memorial Sculpture

Structure

Base Pad—curb height base, roughly 18’ in diameter, rolled edge, irregular organic shape TBD by artist, engineer and city.

Sculpture—18’-20’ high by roughly 12’ x 14’ wide in any direction. FYI, street lamps are approximately 18’ high. Mid section begins at about 10’ to reduce invitation to climb. Gateway between two bottom triangles is designed as a visual pass through as well as a physical pass through for foot traffic around the bottom structures.

 Materials

The materials were chosen for their structural and aesthetic qualities as well as their low maintenance properties.

Base Pad—concrete colorant stain added, planning for some rust color bleeding from cor-ten for a few years.

Bottom Triangular Pieces—Weathering steel, best-known under the trademark Cor-ten steel, is a group of steel alloys which were developed to obviate the need for painting, and form a stable rust-like appearance if exposed to the weather for several years. Weathering steel is popularly used in outdoor sculptures, such as in the large Chicago Picasso sculpture, and as exterior facades like the John Deere Headquarters in Moline, Illinois. It was developed for railroad track construction and other structural applications like bridges. John Deere’s World Headquarters was the first use of Cor-ten in an architectural application (architect, Eero Saarinen). The plates of Cor-ten will be welded off site into a hollow structure. Cast in Place Concrete—earth tone stain added, steel reinforced, solid.

Middle Section—Copper coated or clad steel, surface will have patina added for mixed coloration from warm rust to green. Copper will continue to change color with the final patina being reached in 10-15 years depending on exposure to moisture and quantity of air-born sulfur dioxide. Copper has been used as water-proof material since ancient times, giving many old buildings their greenish roofs and domes. The Statue of Liberty contains 179,220 pounds of copper. The middle structure is hollow and will be created off site.

Top Piece—Hollow stainless steel structure created off site. Stainless steel's resistance to corrosion and staining, low maintenance, and familiar luster make it an ideal base material for a host of commercial applications. The alloy is milled into sheets, plates, bars, wire, and tubing to be used in cookware,cutlery hardware, surgical instruments, major appliances, industrial equipment, a structural alloy in automotive and aerospace assembly and building material in skyscrapers and other large buildings. Stainless steel was particularly in vogue during the art deco period. The most famous example of this is the upper portion of the Chrysler Building. The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is completely clad in stainless steel.

Fabrication

The majority of the piece will be constructed off site (with the exception of the poured in place concrete). The artist will truck the sculpture to the site and install the work upon completion.

Lighting/Other Amenities

Lighting would enhance the sculpture and draw attention to 2nd Avenue/st1:address> as well as help prevent vandalism. A plaque or other site sympathetic narrative about the piece identifying the individual being memorialized as well as the artist, facilitator and contributors is planned for the sculpture.

Costs

Total budget for the artist fee, sculpture fabrication, engineering, foundation, and other associated costs is to be determined. Money from memorials is the primary source for funding.  

Timeline

Fabrication and installation timeline will be available once engineering is complete and materials are gathered. A 2008 installation is planned.