Contralto And Tenor #2

by Robert J Sadler

Title

Contralto And Tenor #2

Artist

Robert J Sadler

Medium

Photograph - Photography/digital Art

Description

Contralto and Tenor (Tenor, lower background) were first created by Lawrence Tenney Stevens. According to various sources the two statues were of aluminum. Over time, they were removed. Two speculative views as to their removal were 1) that the nude figures no longer fit with pre-WWII community values and 2) melted down to help with the war effort. It may have been a bit of both. Removed from community view their only value was as scrap and thus melted down 'for the war effort'.

In a 2009 revitalization effort the State Fair commissioned David Newton to recreate both Contralto and Tenor as well as another 'lost' sculpture called Woofus.

Looking from the Gate 1 entrance to the Exposition in 1936 toward the Esplanade, at the far end, stood two tall blue pylons; now recreated. It is believed they were fitted with loud speakers from which Centennial Exposition announcements poured forth. Stevens was said to say the pylons needed adornment. Contralto and Tenor became those adornments.

David Newton, using old photographs of Lawrence Tenney Stevens' original sculptures, built 12" maquettes of each figure. Newton then carved 12-foot versions using a stainless steel armature covered first in foam and then clay. A mold was made of the completed clay sculptures and they were cast in bronze.

Today, as you can see, Contralto and Tenor do not have the patina of bronze sculptures. I assume the bronze had been chemically treated or painted 'silver' to resemble the original aluminum sculptures.

Uploaded

October 9th, 2014

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