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Preston Jackson’s bronze and steel sculptures
— from his “Martin Luther King Memorial Bronze Bust” in
Danville to his “Stainless Steel and Cast Bronze Relief of Gwendolyn
Brooks” in Chicago — dot cityscapes across Illinois. Now Springfield will host its very own Jackson
creation, thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Capital Development Board.
Janet Grimes, the board’s executive director, announced Tuesday that
the city of Springfield has commissioned Jackson to create a sculpture
commemorating the 1908 Springfield race riot. When it is completed, the
sculpture will be placed in Union Square Park, adjacent to the Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Museum. Most of Jackson’s work involves depictions of
well-known historical figures and events. In a recent press release Jackson
said that he is honored to be chosen as the city’s sculptor. “It is fitting that the subject of the
commission is so very much related to the subject of my own personal work,
which I have been researching for some time,” said Jackson, who
teaches sculpture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. “I
hope to create a piece that will tell the truth about our past, with
emphasis on healing through understanding.”
Jackson was the subject of an Illinois Times cover story [see
Marissa Monson, “Witness,” Sept. 7, 2006]. He also designed the
cover for last year’s Capital City
Visitor, an Illinois
Times-produced guide to area attractions.
Contact Amanda Robert at arobert@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Feb 7-13, 2008.
