Fits and Starts
Encyclopedia
Fits and Starts is an art
work by Brooklyn
, New York City
artist Marc Swanson
,
the 2005 vandalism of which at DePauw University
created controversy.
in mid-leap that was entirely encrusted in rhinestone
crystals. It was made of steel
and polyurethane
foam. The sculpture was installed near DePauw's East College building on 4 November 2005. The artwork combined the influence of his politically conservative father, an Eagle Scout
and US Marine, and Swanson's identity as a gay
male. The Butler Family Foundation, which "is committed to supporting the acquisition of contemporary sculpture created by emerging artists of promise and established artists of note," paid US$60 000 to donate the sculpture to DePauw.
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
work by Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
artist Marc Swanson
Marc Swanson
Marc Swanson is an artist based in Brooklyn.-Life and work:Marc Swanson received his MFA from the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, in 2004, and also studied at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, in Skowhegan, Maine, in 2000.He is...
,
the 2005 vandalism of which at DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
created controversy.
The sculpture
Fits and Starts was a life-size sculpture of a deerDeer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
in mid-leap that was entirely encrusted in rhinestone
Rhinestone
A rhinestone or paste or diamante is a diamond simulant made from rock crystal, glass or acrylic.Originally, rhinestones were rock crystals gathered from the river Rhine. The availability was greatly increased around 1775 when the Alsatian jeweller Georg Friedrich Strass had the idea to imitate...
crystals. It was made of steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
and polyurethane
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
foam. The sculpture was installed near DePauw's East College building on 4 November 2005. The artwork combined the influence of his politically conservative father, an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
and US Marine, and Swanson's identity as a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
male. The Butler Family Foundation, which "is committed to supporting the acquisition of contemporary sculpture created by emerging artists of promise and established artists of note," paid US$60 000 to donate the sculpture to DePauw.
Vandalism
DePauw students hit the sculpture with various objects, and parts of the deer's antlers were sawed off. After the vandalism, the artwork was removed and stored in the basement of the Peeler Art Center at DePauw University. In the fall of 2008, restoration of the sculpture was completed and the deer now stands on the second story of the art center constantly monitored over webcam.External links
- The sculpture in its original outdoor display
- Fits and Starts: A Deer Diary 35min student documentaryDocumentary filmDocumentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos.... - Live Webcam View Fits and Starts in Real Time
