17th Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition (2003-2004)

The creative process in sculpture is ancient, spanning many centuries, and has become imbedded in our psyche as quietly as the genetics that are the blueprints of people. Sculpture has evolved into a multiplicity of approaches and interpretations, touching areas of performance, light, sound, object-based work, installations, film and video. The work presented here forms a comparative analysis of object-based sculpture produced by artists at various points in their careers and working from very different perspectives and places around the nation. Faced with the plight of finding support for their work and identifying places to exhibit, sculptors participate in the Rosen Sculpture Competition because it is high quality and brings forth opportunities for artists working in the realm of large-scale outdoor sculpture. The nature of this art form is that it is not easily moved and installed - nor is it inexpensive to produce. The commitment made by artists to the practice of sculpture is life-long and admirable and each artist is distinguished by their pursuit of excellence and investigations into the field.

The Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition is an extraordinary program and a feather in the cap of Appalachian State University. The program vision brings artists, art world professionals, scholars, and critics to Boone, North Carolina, and serves as a conduit between the community, the university campus, and artists from around the nation. Many thanks to Hank T. Foreman, Director, and Brook Greene, Assistant Curator, Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, for their invitation to serve as juror and for their gracious hospitality and wit. Special thanks goes to the many artists who submitted proposals for this exhibition.

The Spring of 2003 saw great changes for the visual arts and the cultural landscape of Appalachian State University. Building upon the foundation of high quality visual arts programming like the Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition, the university celebrated the opening of the first portion of the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and its beautiful Martin and Doris Rosen Galleries. To celebrate the milestone, this year's Rosen Outdoor Sculpture program celebrated with increased national coverage for the winning artists and increased prize money.

Traditionally, each of the ten artists in the exhibition are awarded an honorarium for their participation, and the juror selects the winner of the Rosen Award. This year saw the continuation of the honorarium, an increase in the Rosen Award, and the addition of a second and third cash award. The funds to support this exciting year of celebration were provided by longtime patrons Martin and Doris Rosen. Over the years, the Rosens have ensured that Appalachian State University is home to artistic achievement of national merit. With the lush greenness of spring's arrival, comes a new season of public sculpture. Each year the campus comes alive with the diverse concepts, materials, and methods of contemporary sculpture.

As we spend each day living among these works, it is easy to take such a program for granted. Walking to our daily destinations we glance over the landscape and take in these works. Maybe we notice something new, see someone interacting with a sculpture, or even question the juror's selection. Next year will mark the eighteenth year for the sculpture program, and it is not unusual to become accustomed to what we have always known. However, when visitors come to campus, or educational specialists are on campus to evaluate the university, the profusion of public art is one of the first aspects of campus mentioned. It is a rare thing to get to live among such art ... whether we are stimulated, amused, or confused.

Another gauge of the value of such a public arts program is the fact that almost every year some community, arts organization, or university contacts us for guidance on how they can establish a similar program. There are few art programs of this nature that have enjoyed such longevity, artistic excellence, and diversity.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Rosens for their continued support of the visual arts, and public sculpture. I congratulate them and the university for the vision of including major works of art on campus, and for providing the opportunity we have to live with such creative, well crafted, and challenging works of art.