Late contemporary artist George Segal’s piece to serve as reminder of social work school’s commitment to build a more just world
As part of a gift from the Mildred Andrews Fund to Case Western Reserve University, a sculpture titled “The Homeless” will now have a permanent home in Cleveland. The bronze statue was erected and unveiled at the entrance of the university’s Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences on Thursday. The life-sized sculpture, depicting two people living on the street, was crafted by renowned contemporary American painter and sculptor George Segal (1924-2000). “From today forward, when students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members enter the Mandel School, they will be greeted with an unmistakable reminder of the school’s commitment to social justice,” said Mandel School Dean Grover Gilmore. “This sculpture represents a scene that is far too common in our urban landscape.”
The statue, originally commissioned by Peter Putnam, was gifted to the university from the Mildred Andrews Fund, a private operating foundation supporting higher education and art with an emphasis on sculpture.
Segal was an American artist credited for introducing the use of plaster bandages as a medium for sculpture. As his career progressed and he gained worldwide notoriety, Segal began painting his works, and later cast them in bronze.
“Depression Breadline,” one of Segal’s more noted bronze works, is on view in Washington, D.C., at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. In his lifetime, Segal created more than 1,000 pieces of art, which can be found in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Japan and Korea.
For more information, contact Colin McEwen at colin.mcewen@case.edu. This article was originally published Oct. 12, 2018.
