How to Go
WHAT: "Oracle" Sculpture by Jon Barlow Hudson
WHERE:John E Moore Technology Center, Sinclair Building 20, 4th St., Dayton
WHEN: Permanent Installation
HOURS: Monday - Friday, 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
INFO: 937-512-2253 or www.sinclair.edu
When large buildings change hands, lots of things can happen – including that the new owners might not have the same appreciation for the artwork.
Internationally-known sculptor Jon Barlow Hudson found that out. His talent was disregarded when three of his works were taken down without his knowledge in the southwest region of Ohio.
Two of them were completely thrown away: “Diamond Space” a suspended sculpture at Eastgate Mall in Batavia, and another one …
“My wife took a friend to see ‘Ts’ung Music’ that was installed in Emery Industries National Distillers Building. It was gone,” said Hudson. “The same thing happened with my Mead piece. I went to see it, and it was gone. But at least it wasn’t thrown away; it was put in basement storage.”
He’s referring to “Oracle,” a five-piece sculpture created in 1985 that was commissioned by Mead chairman Burnell R. Roberts, and installed in the lobby of the second-highest building in Dayton. It was the Mead tower then, before the company left and the building was sold to a Cincinnati real estate investor. Now everyone recognizes it as the KeyBank building.
“It feels like one of your kids has gone missing,” said Hudson. “It’s not fun.”
The missing “Oracle” found a second life at Sinclair’s John E Moore Technology Center on West Fourth Street. It’s a fitting place, as another Hudson sculpture stands in front of the building. “Paradigm Shift” reflects the light and colors around it. Before “Oracle” was installed this past April in the east lobby overlooking the Great Miami River, there were major hurdles to overcome.
“The Cincinnati investor said if we could find a non-profit organization that would want it, and if we could get an appraisal, he would give it to the non-profit. We approached Sinclair and asked if they would like to have it,” said Stivers volunteer and arts enthusiast Bill Pflaum. “Finding someone qualified to appraise a commissioned work like that took awhile. But we did. Then there were delays in getting the sign-off from the building owner. But we got that too.”
The work had to be refurbished. Metal Bright in Dayton was hired to clean the lacquer, rebuff the brass, and re-lacquer all of the pieces. Although the restoration was relatively expensive, the cost was offset by both Hudson and Roberts, a longtime supporter of Sinclair.
“I think the new space works; its wonderful being near the window so it reflects the light,” said Hudson. “It’s close to the people; I’m very happy with it.”
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