Wendell Castle: Creating "Unicorn Family"

During more than five decades as a sculptor and furniture maker, Rochester's own Wendell Castle has been called a "trailblazer," "an American phenomenon," "a leading figure in American craft" and "the father of the art furniture movement."

The Memorial Art Gallery has commissioned a monumental cast-iron sculpture by Castle as one of the anchor installations of its planned Centennial Sculpture Park. The piece, which is being called Unicorn Family, will measure 22 feet in diameter and consist of a gathering area with a table and three chairs and a 13-foot LED lamp.

This piece takes viewers to Castle's studio in Scottsville, NY for an inside look at the process behind creating the components of Unicorn Family and how the project came together. He also talks about his long-standing ties to the Memorial Art Gallery and the prospect of having a public work here in Rochester as part of Centennial Sculpture Park.

Unicorn Family joins twelve works by Castle which are already in MAG's permanent collection. In addition to his now iconic Music Rack (1964), these include such visitor favorites as the Dr. Caligari clock (1984) and Lord Dragonfly Chair (2003).

"As Wendell is both a long time friend of the Memorial Art Gallery and an artist of international stature, we are delighted that his work will become a vital part of our new Centennial Sculpture Park," says museum director Grant Holcomb.

Centennial Sculpture Park, a community space on the grounds of the Memorial Art Gallery, is scheduled to be open in time for the Gallery's 100th anniversary celebration in October 2013. The strategic location of the park, along with the removal of portions of decades-old wrought-iron fencing, is expected to make the Gallery a more vital part of the Neighborhood of the Arts, open up the grounds for the public to enjoy, and attract tourism.

Wendell Castle is one of three major artists already commissioned to create work for the park. Tom Otterness, known internationally for his engaging installations, is creating a major new work—a female sculptor carving a male figure from a block of stone, not far from a "quarry"—to be installed near the intersection of Goodman Street and University Avenue. Jackie Ferrara, whose geometric pathways have been commissioned for sculpture parks and landscapes around the country, is designing the path leading from the quarry to the front entrance of MAG. A fourth commission, still under wraps, will anchor the Goodman Street entrance.

In addition to these commissions, Centennial Sculpture Park will showcase works from the MAG collection by such national and local artists as Deborah Butterfield, George Rickey and Tony Smith.

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