Creation Date

Sculpture creation date: 1970

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Description

Black and white photograph of a large steel sculpture depicting a bearded man with articulated wings, one extended, standing in a courtyard garden area outside Mt. Desert High School, Bar Harbor, Maine. The sculpture, entitled "Daedalus" (1970) by Clark Fitz-Gerald, of Castine, Maine, and represents the mythological figure Daedalus with a stylized wing outstretched. The work is constructed from steel rather than the wood or bronze common to most of Fitz-Gerald's work. The figure stands with feet apart and gaze forward, highlighting strength and vulnerability. According to the Castine Historical Society, the sculpture is considered a self-portrait of Fitz-Gerald and acts as "a metaphor for his inability to save his older son" Timothy, who suffered a severe head injury and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his service in the Vietnam War. This interpretation deepens the emotional resonance of the work, reflecting the artist's personal struggle and sense of powerlessness, utilizing Daedalus—the mythic father unable to prevent his son Icarus’s fall—as an allegory. The use of steel instead of Fitz-Gerald’s usual media may further signify the hardness and endurance required to bear such loss. 1994. Jill Linzee, photograph. (See p16231-p16234.) (See NA4800.)

Save Outdoor Sculpture! (SOS!) (1990-1995) was a nationwide survey that ran from 1990-1995 documenting America’s outdoor sculpture. Established in 1990, SOS! helped educate local communities about America’s endangered sculptural heritage. The Maine Arts Commission was one of 106 organizations to participate in this survey.

Topic

Sculpture

Collection

MF161

Series Number

NA4800

Identifier

p16231

Rights and Access Note

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for non-commercial uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). For more information, contact Special Collections.

Existence and Location of Originals

Located at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress: AFC 2012/047 https://lccn.loc.gov/2013655211.

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Keywords

Save Outdoor Sculpture

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Rights Statement

In Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Permitted