French Artists Collaborate on Lincoln Statue
It was the French who gave the “Land of Lincoln” its official name (Illinois being the French adaptation of the Native American word Illiniwek), and so it is fitting that Mr. Lincoln will now have a permanent home in France, in the form of a statue taking shape in the courtyard of the Center in Paris.
Collaborating on this unique project are French artists Vincent Charra (top photo) and Henri Marquet (bottom photo). Charra, a painter, engraver and mosaicist whose work can be seen in both public and private spaces throughout France and Marquet, a sculptor who works with the Chicago Public Art Group and who previously created a sculpture for the Andrew Jackson Language Academy in Chicago, have worked together previously and are known for engaging local, often urban populations with their work. Once completed, Marquet’s sculpture will be adorned with Charra’s colorful mosaics, and through their collective choice of color and text, the artists will highlight the University of Chicago-Paris connection that remains the foundation of the Center’s international partnerships. Both men are interested in the parallels between Lincoln and another lawyer and U.S. Senator from Illinois who rose to the presidency from modest beginnings: Barack Obama.
The statue was proposed for the Center by the U.S. Embassy Paris, on behalf of the American Ambassador to France, and by the Paris-Chicago Committee, on behalf of the Mayor of the City of Paris and the Mayor of the City of Chicago, with the support of the Bensidoun company from Paris. It will stand as a distinctive symbol of the cooperation and friendship between the United States and France, and will salute the many students, faculty, alumni and other friends who pass through the Center each year. The official unveiling is scheduled for October 2009 in tandem with the meeting of the College Visiting Committee in Paris.