Kent Ullberg Retrospective Sculpture Exhibition Visits Houston Museum of Natural Science Aug. 15 to Oct. 30, 2005
A traveling retrospective exhibit of 48 pieces by Kent Ullberg, widely recognized as one of the world's leading wildlife sculptors, will be on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (www.hmns.org) from Aug. 15 to Oct. 30, 2005.
Houston, Texas (PRWEB) August 11, 2005 -- A traveling retrospective exhibit of 48 pieces by Kent Ullberg, widely recognized as one of the world's leading wildlife sculptors, will be on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (www.hmns.org) from Aug. 15 to Oct. 30, 2005.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science is located at One Hermann Circle Drive, in Hermann Park. David Wagner, Ph.D., is the exhibit's curator and tour director. Ullberg maintains studios in Loveland, Colo., and Corpus Christi, Texas.
Earlier this summer, the artist's two-ton eagle, "The Guardian," with its 20-foot wingspan, was installed atop an 18-foot column at the entrance to the new Michael Graves-designed Federal Reserve Bank building at 1801 Allen Parkway in Houston.
The exhibition, which premiered at Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Neb., was mounted in response to a monumental public art commission created by Ullberg for the new First National Center in Omaha, Neb. The bank installation, of epic scale, involves 58 bronze and stainless steel geese with eight-foot wingspans lifting off from a downtown fountain and entering the urban landscape. The geese are attached to traffic light standards and buildings throughout downtown Omaha, ultimately entering the First National Center's atrium. A heroic composition of a bronze wagon train created by Ed Fraughton and Blair Buswell spans a downtown park, driving a charging herd of Ullberg's larger-than-life bison on a journey throughout the downtown area.
Exhibition sculptures were selected from the more than 50 monuments and 250 smaller castings Ullberg has produced in his career and represent creatures from land, sea and air. Models give insight into Ullberg's sense of design and mechanics. Others are smaller sculptures of unique and delicate beauty. Pieces in the exhibition span from 1969's “Owl” to 2004's “Archipenkos Heron,” and includes "Wind in the Sails," a 1999 stainless steel sculpture that stands in Stockholm, Sweden.
Future dates and locations where the exhibit will be on display include:
Nov. 15, 2005-Jan. 1, 2006, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tuscon, Arizona
Jan. 14-March 12, 2006, Foothills Art Center, Golden, Colorado
The exhibition and tour has been generously underwritten by First National Bank, Omaha, Neb.
Curator/Tour Director David J. Wagner, Ph.D., on Ullberg's work:
"No matter where Kent Ullberg's work is judged, it succeeds because of the breadth, depth and sophistication of his knowledge and talent. In the world of New York's National Academy of Design or the National Sculpture Society, Ullberg's art stands out because he deeply understands nature, and his treatment of it goes beyond urbane aesthetics. In the world of the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the Society of Animal Artists, or The Wildlife Experience, Ullberg's work rises above the rest because he applies his broad knowledge of art history to create his sculptures. He aspires to be true to art and to nature."
About Kent Ullberg:
A native of Sweden, Kent Ullberg is recognized as one of the world's foremost wildlife sculptors. While he has done hundreds of works on a small scale, he is perhaps best known for the monumental works he has executed for museums and municipalities from Omaha, Nebraska to Cape Town, South Africa. His Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Omaha, Nebraska installations are the largest wildlife bronze compositions ever done, spanning several city blocks. Regardless of scale, he imbues all of his subjects with unparalleled vitality.
Ullberg is a member of a number of important art organizations that have honored him with prestigious awards. These include, in New York City, Allied Artists of America, National Academy of Design, National Arts Club, National Sculpture Society and the Society of Animal Artists. The National Academy of Design elected Ullberg a full “Academician,” one of the highest recognitions a visual artist can receive. His memberships and awards outside New York include the American Society of Marine Artists, Ambler, Pennsylvania; and the National Academy of Western Art, Oklahoma City, which awarded him the Prix de West Award in 1998, the foremost award in western art. He is a major supporter of many wildlife conservation efforts.
Ullberg's work can be found in major museums and corporate headquarters around the globe, including the National Museum of Natural History in Stockholm, Sweden; the National Gallery in Botswana, Africa; National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.; Exhibition Hall, Beijing, China; the Guildhall in London, and many more. His pieces can also be found in the private collections of world leaders and celebrities, including H.R.H. Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, Jack Nicholson and Robert Wagner. For more information, call (970) 667-7809 or (361) 851-1600, or visit www.kentullberg.net.
About The Houston Museum of Natural Science:
The Houston Museum of Natural Science – one of the nation's most-heavily attended museums – is a centerpiece of the Houston Museum District. With four floors of permanent exhibit halls, the Wortham IMAX® Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium and George Observatory and as host to world-class and ever-changing touring exhibitions, the Houston Museum has something to delight every age group. Over a dozen permanent exhibit areas cover subjects on astronomy, space science, Native Americans, paleontology, energy, chemistry, gems and minerals, seashells and Texas wildlife. Rotating special exhibits are a constant occurrence. There is also the huge Fondren Discovery Place on the first floor that is filled with hands-on exhibits that will delight children and adults of all ages. The museum's mission is to preserve and advance the general knowledge of natural science; to enhance in individuals the knowledge of and delight in natural science and related subjects; and to maintain and promote a museum of the first class. The museum is located in Hermann Park, across the street from Miller Outdoor Theater in close proximity to Highways 59, 288 and the 610 Loop. For more information, please visit www.hmns.org or call 713-639-4629. Information is available in Spanish at (713) 639-4603.
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