posted on October 13, 2009.
“This will be a unique opportunity for the public to watch students cast molten iron at temperatures exceeding 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit,” Jonathan Hils, associate professor of contemporary sculpture at the OU School of Art and Art History. “Spectators are welcome to come watch the event and faculty will be present to talk about the process of iron casting.”
The School of Art and Art History and the OU sculpture program present Fuego Friday: Halloween Iron Pour and OU Student Costume Contest, 5:30 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 30 at the Fred Jones Art Center. OU faculty and students from the School of Art & Art History and the College of Architecture will perform the iron pour. Students from East Carolina University, University of New Mexico and Oklahoma State University also will assist.
“This process brings together engineering, chemistry and artistry into one of the most unique visual spectacles you’ll witness. It’s also really, really hot and that’s just plain cool,” says Hils.
The iron casting process harkens back to the industrial revolution and the processes that established huge leaps in societal innovation and advancement. Hils says it is important that people see this type of art being created, especially in our digitally obsessive lifestyle. He says students will be working very hard and working as a team.
The sculptural process is a great tool for learning about physics, engineering, science and industry. The process requires a team of students who learn to work together, which generally goes against the ideal of the isolated artist working alone in a studio. This is collaborative and builds trust and respect amongst students.
“People don’t usually think about art doing such things, but it occurs more often than most people might think,” says Hils.
The OU sculpture program also will have small scratch molds available for the public to create their own unique piece of metal art that will be cast by OU students during the event. Molds are available for purchase for $15 in advance or $20 day of event; all proceeds benefit the sculpture program and the Visual Art Student Association (VASA). Contact Jonathan Hils to reserve or pick-up a scratch mold before Wednesday, Oct. 27, hils@ou.edu, or by calling (405) 325-3217.
VASA also will host an OU Student Halloween Costume Contest at 7 p.m., that evening. A distinguished panel of guests will judge the contest and the School of Art & Art History will donate a new iPod video Nano for first place, a fifty dollar iTunes gift certificate for both second and third place prizes.
Hils says the event will create a wonderful spectacle and circus-like atmosphere to celebrate creativity, good old-fashioned hard work and will bring together all the best things about what makes art great and what it can do for the community.
The iron pour and costume contest is free and open to the public. The Fred Jones Art Center is located at 520 Parrington Oval, in the OU Arts District!
The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. For accommodations on the basis of disability, please call the School of Art and Art History at (405) 325-2691. For more information, please visit, http://art.ou.edu/.