Note: The original printed booklet contained poor quality photocopies of color slides of the sculpture. As a result, we deemed it appropriate to create this version solely for the web and incorporate scans of the original slides. While the integrity of the original photography was maintained in spirit, we have tried to capture the intent of the original item even though the cropping of the images may not be identical. Additionally, some of the original slides used to create this work could not be located; therefore, some items were re-photographed and therefore may be from different angles, etc. However, the text of this work is recreated here in its entirety.

Forms and Spaces: Sculpture in La Crosse, Wisconsin, 1992.

by Stephannie Hammes and Dr. Leslie F. Crocker

Funding for the slides, photographs and printing of this
project was provided by Dean Julius Erlenbach through a
Research Project Grant from the College of Arts Letters and
Sciences, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.

Original photographs of all sculptures mentioned in this
report have been placed in the Area Research Center, Murphy
Library, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.

Slides of the sculptures have been placed in the slide
collection, Department of Art, University of Wisconsin, La
Crosse. 

The city of La Crosse has many sculptures that are
accessible to the public, far more than most midwestern towns
of it's size. This is suprising since Americans are not
particularly interested in sculpture. Sculpture is usually an
urban art and here in the midwest there has been little urban
life until the last half century.

In our daily lives most of us pause briefly before a
sculpture and then move on, perhaps with some sort of
satisfaction but more often with confusion. We aren't quite
sure what is supposed to happen between us and a work of art
so we don't know whether our contact has been good or not.

There are at least six aspects of sculpture that go
together to create our reactions, four that are inherent
within the work, one that is often outside the viewer's
knowledge or control and one that is dependent upon the
individual viewer. The four basic aspects of all art works
are the physical elements, the formal elements, the content,
and the craftsmanship. Examining each of these elements can
teach us how to approach any work of art with confidence and
some assurance that the experience will be at least
satisfactory.

The physical elements include things like height, weight,
shape, the materials used, methods of construction, location,
and site. There is no standard for the physical elements.
That is, there are no requirements that a sculpture must be of
stone and must be at least life size.

Most cultures use materials that they have available.
Scandinavia had little stone good for carving, but lots of
forests. So we see a tradition of wood used in Scandinavia.
Ancient Greece had no trees of any size but great carving
stone. Artists have traditionally used what they had.

The formal elements are also known as the design elements.
They include color, texture, balance, movement, anatomy, and
space. As in the physical elements there are no laws for the
formal elements. Each culture creates standards that it finds
acceptable. The ancient Greeks used the groin as the physical
center of the human body. The top of most peoples head's are
as high above their groin as the bottoms of their feet are
below it. Some cultures use the navel as the center of the
body making for very elongated lower bodies. The ancient
Egyptians divided the body into eighteen vertical units. Art
history and cultural anthropology tell us that there is no
single standard of design for representing the human body,
trees, or any other aspect of the world. Each culture creates
their own way of depicting the world.

The third element is the content or subject matter of the
work. Throughout human history we have created religious and
political art of one sort or another. We have also imitated
the world around us and recreated elements or that world.
Artists have also created objects that do not represent
anything specifically. Dying saints don't make better art
objects than jumping rabbits. There are no universal laws
about what can or can't be used for subject matter, each
culture decides for itself what is significant at that moment
in time. Ninety-nine percent of the art works from Ancient
Egypt deal with religion. In the United States during the
twentieth century probably less than one percent of the art
works deals with religion. The type of subject matter depends
upon the time and the place.

The fourth basic element is craftsmanship. Craftsmanship
concerns the skill of handling a particular material or using
a particular method of creating. Thread and yarn are
materials, embroidery is one method of using thread, weaving
is another, knitting is another. In some cases the sculptor
carves the wood, or shapes the clay to make an object. In
other instances the artist makes the model and hires a
professional craftsman to make the final product. The skills
necessary to cast a life-size human figure are perhaps better
left to the expert bronze caster rather than having the
sculptor learn the trade. Of course the sculptor must
understand what is possible or impossible in casting. When
the work is finished the sculptor gets credit for the work
even if his or her hands never actually touched the final
product. Architects don't build buildings. They leave
construction to the specialized trades like masons,
carpenters, and electricians. However they must understand
how each element of the building functions with the other
elements even if they don't do the actual building.

Standards of craftsmanship are difficult for most people
to judge. Few of us know the intricacies of stone carving,
bronze casting or complex needlework. However, the more we
know about the materials and methods used the better we will
be able to evaluate the craftsmanship.

The fifth element is the purpose of the work. In the
Twentieth Century purpose is not always obvious and it is
sometimes difficult to determine and understand. We don't
usually know why a work was created. In the past artists
always worked on commission. They did what the patron wanted
done. If the patron was the church and the clerics wanted St.
Sebastian shot full of arrows then that's what the artist did.
f King Louis XVI wanted a portrait of his mistress as the
goddess Venus then there was an artist who could do the job.
Prior to the nineteenth century artists created what they were
hired to create. It has only been in the last two centuries
that artists created objects and hoped that someone would buy
them. When we first confront "Reflections III" we don't know
how much of the subject matter was defined by the patron
Adolph Gunderson and how much was determined by the sculptor
Paul Granlund. We can be certain that there was some
discussion about the subject matter, the location intended for
the work and the materials to be used but we really know
little about that discussion. Purpose is often an unknown in
understanding a work of art.

The sixth element to consider is ourselves. We come to
the work of art as mortal individuals. Our feet hurt, our
stomachs are growling, we are worried about our jobs, our
marriage, our parents or thousands of other problems. A
tired, hungry person can't appreciate art the same way as
someone who is well rested and well fed. As humans we do have
our physical needs and priorities.

We also bring to a work of art our preconceptions. We
may believe that all sculpture should be carved in stone and
show ideal human figures. We may believe that naked people
are ugly or sinful. We may believe that all art should "say
something". We come to the work with many ideas about "what
art is supposed to be" that we have learned from our peers,
our parents, our religion and our culture.

If you are Norwegian rather that Italian by heritage you
will have a completely different assortment of cultural
baggage. If you are Lutheran by religion rather than Catholic
or Islamic you will have a different view of what sculpture
should or shouldn't be. Most of us don't know what kind of
cultural baggage we carry around. We assume that everyone
else expects sculpture to be the same things that we think it
should be, and we are often confused and even threatened when
we discover that their ideas differ from our own.

Remember that there are no universal laws. In ancient
Egypt all the people lived in the same climate, worshiped the
same gods, were ruled by the same kind of government, and
created sculpture that did not change for three thousand
years. At the end of the twentieth century in the United
States we don't all worship the same god; we don't all have
the same cultural background; we don't have the same
requirements or expectations for our art. As a historian I
have to say that one art form, or style is not better than
another, they are only different.

A religious fundamentalist might say that any depiction
of the human body is sinful. A humanist might say that the
human body is the most glorious creation of the creative
spirit while the non-objective artist might say that anatomy
isn't important anyway. Most of the rest of the people
wouldn't care one way or the other so long as things were done
the way they have "always" been.

What role does being "real" or "natural" play in art?
Art is not reality. The art object is not the thing
represented. It is not really a human or a tree. All art is
symbol in one way or another.

When we look at an ancient Egyptian sculpture we seldom
consider it natural. They didn't either. It wasn't supposed
to be real, it was a symbol. Because we do not understand
that the Egyptians were very different people from us we never
understand that our concept of what sculpture should be is not
theirs. Ours isn't better or worse, it is simply ours.
People are not all the same. Cultures are not the same.
Different people create different kinds of sculpture.
Different cultures require different kinds of sculpture.

Even if all of these aspects are relative to the culture
that produces the work of art surely because we are all humans
we all share a similar love of beauty. Unfortunately this
isn't true either; different cultures also have different
perceptions of beauty. Tall thin women are considered
beautiful in one culture while short heavy women are most
prized in ethers, and women with big ears in others. Some
Americans admire hairy-chested men, most Orientals strongly
dislike hairy chests, and others don't see chest hair as being
very important anyway. In some cultures good quality
craftsmanship is valued while in others the content of the
work is most admired. Beauty, like all the other aspects of
sculpture that we have discussed, has no universal standard.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" may be a cliche, but it
is also true. What aspects are considered beautiful and even
the objects considered beautiful vary considerably from place
to place and time to time. Different people within the same
culture often have different standards of beauty and different
social or economic classes have different standards.

So what is an individual to do? How are you supposed to
look at these sculptures in La Crosse? You can understand art
in many different ways. The most basic way is to look at a
sculpture, without any education/ experience or consideration
beyond what the work makes you feel. This most basic of
relationships ignores all of the complexity of art and
provides little understanding of yourself or the art work.
Greater understanding comes from applying the different
aspects of art that were discussed above. When we understand
the subject matter another dimension is added to the
experience. Looking at "Damascus Illumination" creates a
reaction. Knowing the story of Saul of Tarsus and his
conversion to Christianity provides the viewer with another
level of understanding. Knowing about texture, space, and the
complexities of bronze casting add other levels.

The most complex level involves the knowledge that all
things change. People change and the sculpture also changes.
How you feel emotionally today will affect your view of the
work without you being aware of it. The sculpture will be
different in three feet of snow from the way you see it on a
glorious spring day. As you learn more about art and an
artist your attitudes will change. Sculptures become friends
because, like people, the way we see them is always changing.

You may take classes, read books or talk with other
people to learn what our culture considers "correct" in the
formal elements. You can learn about materials and methods
and even practice a few yourself to better understand that
aspect of art. You can learn how certain symbols are used,
how different subjects may be treated, or what types of
sculptures are admired. You may even figure out why someone
wanted a particular type of sculpture created and what the
artist tried to accomplish in the work.

Each of the basic elements have produced their own
admirers. Some people only admire quality craftsmanship
and ignore the subject matter. For others the subject is all
important, whether it is done with skill or not. For others
all metal sculptures are boring while any wooden object
provides endless fascination. The artist is often most
concerned with the texture or movement while the viewer
relates to how "real" the work is.

In the Twentieth Century we have added a variation to the
appreciation and understanding of sculpture that may be unique
to our Western European culture. Most every culture uses
abstract and non objective art or decoration of some sort. We
often see patterns of color, shapes and forms that have no
relationship to actual objects. "Anidonts" is an example of
abstract sculpture. The human and dog are recognizable for
what they represent—all humans who love dogs and all dogs who
love humans. The forms have only a limited amount of realism,
the "proper11 number of limbs, a head, and the general
proportions of the objects that they represent. By
abstracting or simplifing the figures the artists seeks to
make them universal, they are anyone with a dog, not just a
specific person with a specific dog.

Non-objective artists feel constrained by even the
limited requirements of abstraction. They reject the need for
any subject matter at all and seek truth, beauty or
understanding within forms that have no specific meaning.
"Lyra" is a good example of non-objective sculpture. It can
have as many different meanings as there are people who see
it. Perhaps the artist sought to convey a specific emotion or
meaning but the viewer is not limited to that single
interpretation. Indeed, with much non-objective sculpture the
viewer never knows the "true" meaning of the work since the
artist may not give clues via a title or explanation.

People who live in a literal world are often threatened
by abstract and non-objective sculpture. Realism re-enforces
their view of what the world is or should be and anything that
differs from that view is a threat to them. Non-objective art
is another way of seeing the world, another way of
communicating, another way of understanding.

Sculpture is a complex art form. Different viewers focus
on different aspects of the work so there is- often little
agreement over any work. Since we have different backgrounds
we bring different values to our judgement and each bit of
understanding changes how we perceive the sculpture.

In La Crosse we have sculpture that flows with water, we
have sculpture that stands beside the flowing water and we
have sculpture that reflects upon the waters. We even have
sculpture that can drive by the waters. We have sculpture
with themes, sculpture with suggestions, sculpture with forms.
Sculpture that is humorous, sculpture that is serious.
Sculpture that speaks to the enigma of life and the finality
of death. Sculpture that is inspirational like the "Dancing
St Francis", joyful like "Anidonts", funny like "Henrietta"
and silly like the "Big Indian".

Within the city of La Crosse there is a wide range of
sculpture in public places. Many sculptors have contributed
their time and skill to the making of art, but the patrons
provided the means to enrich the city.

Most of these works are accessible to the public at any
time, any season. We can enjoy them in falling snow and watch
their shadow on a summer morning. Like the best sculpture of
the past they impose no restrictions, demand no tariff,
require nothing of the viewer but interest.

Les Crocker June 1, 1992

THE SCULPTURES

1. "Reflections III", Paul Granlund, 1979, bronze
Fore Court of La Crosse Public Library, Main and 8th

This piece was donated in 1979 by Dr. Adolph Gundersen.
It depicts a young woman resting on top of a carved base which
was designed as an integral part of the sculpture. The figure
and the base create "complementary negative images and
contradicting planes11 in the words of the artist. The title
is intentionally ambiguous, referring to reflections of the
figure in the base, reflections in the pool of water before
it, and the intellectual process of reflecting upon an idea.2.

2. "Ascendence" , Paul Granlund, 1971, bronze
Interior of La Crosse Public Library, Main and 8th

This work was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Clarance Smith, in
1971 to the La Crosse Public Library. The sculpture
celebrates the idea that knowledge and humanity is imprinted
and recorded within the library. Inspiration for the piece
came from a quotation of John Milton "Childhood shows us the
man as the morning shows us the day".

3. "Lyra", Bruce White, 1980, aluminum
Burns Park, Main and 8th

"Lyra", located in the Sears Court, was the most
distinctive of the three sculptures in the mall because of
it's bright blue color. It consists of three legs that
intertwine and create an interlocked design at the top. In
the spring of 1990, it was moved to Burns Park.

TERRA COTTA RELIEFS, 1889
East side of U.S. Post Office, State Street and 5th

The United States Post Office and Customs House was built
in 1889 and was one of three major examples of the Romanesque
Revival style in La Crosse. It had four major decorative
sculpture panels of terra-cotta. An addition on the north
east corner made in 1910-1911 covered one of the panels. It
was rediscovered during demolition of the building in 1978 and
placed with the other panels in a decorative wall outside the
new post office.

Architectural sculpture often graced the walls of public
buildings in the 19th century when young towns were proud of
these visible symbols of their success. Changing ideas about
the nature and function of sculpture has often resulted in the
destruction of this kind of work. La Crosse is fortunate to
have preserved a portion of it's past in these four terra
cotta reliefs. Terra-cotta is a reddish colored clay that is
easily shaped and very weather resistant when fired in a kiln.

5. "Dragon" panel
Originally on the third floor in the west front gable.

The two foot three inch high by fourteen foot long Dragon-
like creature attacks a snake and their intertwined bodies
turn into an acanthus vine decoration. Neither the source of
the subject matter nor it's meaning is known.

6. "Beast" panel
Originally on the first floor at east end of the south front.

This three-and-a-half foot by twenty-seven inch panel is
divided into two sections and shows a creature with the head
of a lion and the body of a reptile with large wings. The
figure may be based on the mythical chimera from the ancient
world, but like the "Dragon" it does not seem to have any
connection with the function of the building.

7. "Postal Union" panel
Originally on east end of south front on the second floor

This is one of two large panels on the building. It is
six feet six inches wide and five feet four inches high. The
left side of the relief shows a ship with "Sal Postal Union
on its side, a child-like figure is carrying a bag, another
climbs a telephone pole from which hang long wires, another
holds a stamping device while reaching into a sack of papers
with the other hand. The right side shows a cart with "U.S.
Mail" on its side The subjects all seem to relate to
communication, particularly the postal service. The child
like figures are called "putti" and are derived from figures
used in ancient Rome. Their use on a public building of this
kind is curious and seems somewhat out of place.

8. "Justice" panel
Originally on south end of the east wall on second floor

This panel was around the corner from the "Postal Union"
panel and matches it in size. In center an older woman
representing truth carries a sword with which she has
vanquished a falling male figure that clutches a handful of
snakes. The upper left hand corner has a putti that carries a
balance scale of justice and in the upper right corner a
similar child carries a mirror of self examination. This
panel was covered in the addition of 1911 and was protected
from the grime of the city for more than a half century.

9. "La Crosse Players", Elmer Peterson, 1981, cor-ten steel
West end of Main street

This work is a gift from the Waldo Stern Estate to the
people of La Crosse. The "La Crosse players" are a
representation of how La Crosse received its name from a game
played by the Native Americans on the sandy prairies near the
river. The sculpture consists of three life size figures
built up of welded pieces of cor-ten sheet steel. They are
arranged into a series of planes defined by the configuration
of weld lines.

10."Gambrinus", Elmer Peterson, 1980, cor-ten steel
Heileman Corporate Headquarters, State and Second Street

This piece was commissioned by the Heileman Foundation to
be placed in front of their corporate headquarters. Elmer
Peterson created a more modern version of Gambrinus but still
retains the traditional attributes of king and upraised cup.
The cor-ten steel has weathered to rusty finish that is much
more imposing than the garish colors of the earlier
"Gambrinus" sculpture.

11."Eagle", Elmer Petersen, 1987, cor-ten steel
West end of State Street, Riverside Park

The great "Eagle" is posed for flight on its twenty foot
wing span from a thirty foot high tree trunk. Although no
longer common on the Mississippi river these majestic birds
once flew above our city.

12. "The Big Indian", Anthony Zimmerhakl, 1961, concrete
North end of Riverside Park

This gigantic sculpture stands twenty-five feet high and
weighs twenty tons. It was created by Anthony Zinmerhakl, a
local high school art teacher, and his sons to commemorate all
the Native Americans that met where the three rivers meet. In
more recent years it has often been called "Hiawatha", but
that name was not used by Zimmerhakl and the poetic name has
nothing to do with La Crosse.

13. "Gambrinus", before 1939, concrete
1111 South 3rd Street

In front of Heileman's Aging building stands a fifteen
foot high King Gambrinus. He is posed with one foot upon a
beer keg and his uplifted right hand holds a beer glass. He
is dressed in royal purple with a blue coat and red cape
trimmed in white and wears a golden crown. The Gambrinus
story comes from Holland and Belgium where he was the patron
figure of brewers from as early as the latter half of the 13th
century. The Heileman company purchased Gambrinus in 1939 for
$100 from a defunct brewery. Its original cost was supposedly
$3000, a very large sum for the time. There is supposed to
be another of these figures in a brewery in New Orleans.

14. "Boy with Butterfly", Elmer Peterson, 1988, bronze
Lutheran Hospital Lobby

Standing among the live trees and plants this typical
little boy looks curiously at a butterfly perched on the end
of his finger. The sculpture was commissioned by memorials
given to the Lutheran Hospital Foundation by the family and
friends of Holly Hartigan, who died of cancer.

15. "Family", Elmer Peterson, 1982, bronze
Near west entrance of Gunderson Clinic

This larger than life sized group stands on a tall
pedestal. It consists of the American ideal family of four
with a mother holding the infant son, a father and daughter.
The work was commissioned by the Gundersen Medical Foundation
to express the care of families that is a specialty of the
clinic. The figures were designed so that they could be
viewed from any direction.

16. "Harmony and Peace", Luis Arata, 1983, steel
Viterbo College Campus, Ninth and Mississippi

This twelve foot high bright red)orange sculpture
symbolizes the peace and harmony that Mr. Arata hoped to find
in La Crosse. As a non-objective sculpture it has no
recognizable subject matter. Viewers can provide an imaginary
subject of their own but the sculptor is primarily interested
in the interplay of form and color.

17. "Dancing St. Francis", Paul Granlund, 1987, bronze
Assisi Court, Viterbo College,

Officials of Viterbo College wanted a life size figure of
St. Francis for their Assisi court. The total sculpture is
about nine feet high, with a four-and-a-half-foot high St.
Francis figure. Granlund wanted his sculpture to suggest that
Francis is dancing and singing to "Brother moon and Sister
sun, delighting in God's presence." It was given to the
college by an anonymous donor.

18. "Point of Origin", David Klahn, 1980, bronze
East side of St. Francis Hospital on West Avenue

This fountain sculpture consists of four shapes, two
bronze fifteen foot arches and two baseplates. When viewed
together they form a matrix of forms. Klahn says that in his
work he strives "for power and that evasive element of the
spiritual and emotional, launched through primary forms". The
fountain part of the work is at the exact center with water
spraying up past the arms. Water is the Christian symbol for
cleansing and healing. The ruggedness of the arches and the
flow of water is also symbolic of this area's bluffs and
rivers. Bronze arrows set in the concrete surrounding the
base indicates the compass direction of all the state
capitals.

19. "Henrietta the Chicken" , 1920's, sheet metal
Capt'n Bob's Silver Skillet, 3325 Mormom Coulee Rd

Captain Bob's infamous chicken truck is another of La
Crosse's well-known pieces of art. "Henrietta" is a sheet
metal and fiberglass chicken on a 1953 Ford truck body. It
was created in the 1920's by the Barg and Foster Candy Company
in Milwaukee. Later, a fleet of 8 were sold to the Sperry
Candy Company in St. Louis, Missouri. The Republican
campaign slogan of 1932, "A chicken in every pot" inspired the
company to make the Chocolate Chicken Bar and the trucks were
used to promote the product. In the 1950's the candy bar and
the trucks were phased out. A personal friend and Sperry
employee sold the truck to "Capt'n Bob" Henninger with the
stipulation that " he could take Henrietta for a joy ride
whenever he visited." It was probably at this time that
Henrieta was mounted on a new truck body. This is the only
one of the original eight remaining. Not only was Henrietta a
moving sculpture she was also vocal. She came equipped with a
loudspeaker, and was the first talking float in any
Octoberfest parade.

20. "Damascus Illumination", Paul Granlund, 1967, bronze
St. Pauls Lutheran Church, West Avenue at Madison

This dramatic two part sculpture illustrates the
conversion experience of the Apostle Paul. The angel is
attached to the south wall of the church entrance while Saul
seems to fall to the ground while looking upward. This piece
was donated by Orval and Esther Nelson in 1967.

21. "Anidonts", Luis Arata, 1983, aluminum
Entrance to Myrick Park, La Crosse street

In 1983, Mr. Arata visited La Crosse and was struck by
the beauty of the river and the bluffs. He created this
abstract work representing a human and a dog. Originally the
piece was untitled. Arata referred to it as an "anidont",
which he described as "simple and direct communication with
children offering an optimistic and cheerful message." The
work has since been referred to as " Anidonts." The sculpture
was moved from Riverside Park to the entrance of Myrick Park
in 1992.

22. "Ribbon", Stephan Fischer, 1985, cor-ten steel
Outside north-west corner of Cartwright Center, UWL

This piece was purchased by the Wisconsin Percent for Art
Program. Fischer describes his work as "drawing space".
Movement and gesture are frozen, leaving the interpretation of
the subject up to the viewer's own imagination. The cor-ten
steel is welded into block construction, designed to resist
corrosion and age with a luminous red brown patina. Fischer
is a Vietnam veteran and a graduate of the Layton School of
Art and Design. This sculpture was installed as part of the
remodeling and expansion of Cartwright Center. It was chosen
on the basis of the durability of the mass and the concept of
design.

23. "The Arts", Tommie Smith, 1977, ceramic
South wall of Fine Arts Building, UWL

The University of Wisconsin, La Crosse and the Wisconsin
Arts Board wanted a creative sculpture embodying all facets of
the arts for UWL Fine Arts Building. Tommie Smith created a
series of ceramic panels depicting the fine arts—painting,
sculpture, architecture, music, theater, and dance. This was
the first large ceramic sculpture that Ms. Smith had ever
done. With the aid of Leonard Stach of the UWL Art Department
and his students she developed a suitable clay mixture,
pounded the clay into wooden frames, carved the images on the
slabs, glazed and fired each piece.

24. "Female Figure", c.1870, marble
Murphy Library, UWL, Area Research Center

This sculpture was originally in the Florence Wing Library
and was a gift to the University in 1969 from a local family.
The artist is unknown and nothing is know about the subject.
It is probably a quarter size copy of an original work.
Smaller versions of well known works were commonly made as
limited editions, often numbering several hundred. They were
quite popular among he wealthy in the United States in the
second half of the nineteenth century.

25. 'Bust of Young Girl", late XIX century, marble
Murphy Library, UWL, Area Research Center

This piece was given to the University at the same time as
the "Female Figure". Nothing is known about it's artist or
subject.

26. "Pizza Man", early 1970's, fiberglass
515 West Avenue North

This fiberglass commercial sculpture stood on the Pizza
Towne restaurant and it's image was used on their napkins as
well. The figure had red light bulbs for buttons on it's coat
front so it was quite outstanding at night. It seems to have
been a one-of-a-kind creation and had little of the slickness
of most mass-produced fiberglass sculpture. It was removed in
1992 when the restaurant closed.

27. "St Joseph the Workman", 1968, stone
Entrance of St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, Main and 6th
This abstract sculpture is more typical of the simplified
monumentality found in architectural sculpture of the 1930's
rather than the late 1960's, but religious sculpture is often
more conservative in form than secular subjects.

28. "Good Shepard", Elmer Peterson, 1984, iron and slate
Good Shepard Lutheran Church, 4141 Mormon Coulee Road
This eighteen foot high relief of Christ holding a lamb
was intended to embody the feelings of the loving Christ as
protector. The image is an opened construction of black iron
backed by slate-like materials in three colors.

29. "Christ the King", 1957, stone
East entrance of St. Pius X Church, 3710 East Ave South
Originally built as part of the Catholic seminary the
Chapel of Christ the King has been reconsecrated as a church.

VALLEY VIEW MALL SCULPTURE
The original owners of the Valley View Mall, Dayton
Hudson Industries, hired artists to create works that would
compliment the mall's interior design. One of the main goals
was for the artist to design sculpture that would be
significant in the future while visually developing public
areas of the mall. The works had to fit a specific volume of
space, and not hinder public movement. The artists
collaborated with the developer and architect to fulfill these
requirements.

Unfortunately Valley View Mall was sold in 1990 and the
new owners had no interest in the sculpture or the spaces
around them. The sculptures were removed, the plant
surrounded conversation areas were leveled and Valley View
Mall now looks like thousands of other simple commercial
spaces.

30. "Untitled", Russell F. Daley, 1980, aluminum
This twenty foot high and twelve hundred pound piece was
located in the J. C. Penney*s court. It consisted of tapered
aluminum tubes hung on steel cables to create an interaction
of implied planes and diagonal lines suggesting motion,
change, and time. The artist described his piece as
syncopated movement. This sculpture was destroyed in 1990.

31. "Varco", Thomas Scarff, 1980, aluminum
This sculpture was in the center court suspended above
planters. It was approximately twenty feet long, and weighted
nine hundred pounds. It was returned to the artist in 1990.

32."Lyra", Bruce White, 1980, aluminum
This sculpture was originally in the Sears Court. It was
the only one of the mall sculptures saved for La Crosse. It
was moved to Burns Park, Main and 8th, in 1992.

CEMETERY SCULPTURE
Funerary sculpture, monuments and memorials are a
specialized branch of the sculptural arts. In the midwest
cemeteries often contain the largest collection of sculpture
in any community. The practice of using sculpture with
funerary monuments is very old and is one of the few places
where Protestants easily accept religious sculpture.
Architectural sculpture is often used for tombs and other
buildings in cemeteries.

Many funerary sculptures of the late 19th and early 20th
centuries are standard figures that are mass produced at a
marble carving plant and shipped all over the country. Angels
were very popular, and could be varied with the addition of
musical instruments. Lambs often mark the graves of young
children, while folded hands, roses, and lilies are also
common. Many of the grave markers at both La Crosse
cemeteries have relief sculptures, but they are so numerous as
to be beyond the scope of this survey.

Since most funerary sculpture was mass produced it is
seldom judged on the basis of craftsmanship or design. The
symbolic content of the subject matter is the most important
element.

32. Cargill Mausoleum, 1887
Oak Grove Cemetery
This mausoleum houses the tomb of S.D. Cargill, his wife
and their infant son. It is classical revival with Ionic
columns that flank the doorway on the facade and squared
pilasters at the four corners. The columns have molded bases
and capitals. The gables of the roof form a pediment more
reminiscent of Fom an architecture than Greek. The exterior
moldings are more Gothic in appearance than classical. It was
common in the late 19th century to combine styles.

33. Easton Mausoleum, 1888
Oak Grove Cemetery
As seen here, the Victorian Gothic style of the late 19th
century was a mixture of elements. The massive rough-textured
base is derived from Romanesque styles. The foliage design on
facade is twining sprays with occasional vine leaves and
grapes. The small columns with capitals are from the French
Gothic style and the trefoil arch is late French Gothic. Over
the entrance there is a stained glass window with vines and
flowers. There are stained glass windows on either side of
the structure.

34. Gund Mausoleum, 1924
Oak Grove Cemetery
This mausoleum is a well proportioned Greek Revival
example unlike the Cargill Mausoleum which uses a mixture of
classical styles. There are four columns on the facade with
two on either side of the doorway and low pitched pediment.
It was built in 1924, at a cost of $8000 en a lot that cost of
$1200.

35. Crosby-Morrison Monument, c.1921
Oak Grove Cemetery
This angel is very Romantic in style with small wings and
downcast eyes. Great emotional expression combined with
physical grace was highly valued in funerary sculpture.

36. McMillan Monument, date unknown, marble
Oak Grove Cemetery
This angel is more masculine and larger than the other
examples. He holds a cross that comes to his shoulder as his
right hand extends up with the index finger pointing toward
the "heavens". The symbolism of heavenly redemption coming
from Christ's suffering is a standard item for funerary
sculpture.

37. Smith Monument, 1912, marble
Oak Grove Cemetery
This angel depicts the "Rock of Ages" theme. A cross
rests on a pile of rocks as a female angel leans against the
cross in mourning. The anchor is symbolic of steadfast faith.

38. Hixon Memorial, Leonard Crunelle, 1913, bronze
Oak Grove Cemetery
The bronze mother and her children were originally flanked
by marble benches, but the site was vandalized in 1990. Now
the bronze relief rests upon a granite base.
The style of the figures strongly recalls the round
paintings of the Madonna, Child, and St. John by the Italian
Renaissance painter Raphael.

39. Wood Monument, 1912, marble Oak Grove Cemetery
This sculpture is identical to the Sikorski statue in the
Catholic cemetery and clearly shows how few of these funerary
works were unique.

40. Noelke Monument, 1922, marble
Catholic Cemetery
An angel in traditional rotes kneels on top of the this
monument. She is more masculine than most with strong wings
clearly showing their feathers.

41. Ott Monument, 1921, marble
Catholic Cemetery
This sculpture is wingless and very feminine in nature.
Graceful female figures could represent Hope, Faith, or even
Memory in the nineteenth century language of symbolism.

42. Kriz Monument, 1924, marble
Catholic Cemetery
This very feminine angel stands with her right knee
slightly bent forward, head lowered, and right elbow bent and
extended forward. Her left hand holds a lyre. It is common
for angels to hold musical instruments.

43. Sikorski Monument, 1916, marble
Catholic Cemetery
Various figures carry musical instruments to celebrate
God, or occasionally to represent creative talents in the
arts. However this is Gabriel, the angel of the Redemption,
who bears the trumpet that proclaims the Day of Judgement.

44. Hegenbart Monument, 1930, marble
Catholic Cemetery
This angel holds a cross with her right hand and a bock in
her left, symbolic of the two elements of faith—the bible and
the crucifixion.

BIOGRAPHIES
Arata, Luis
Originally from Buenos Aries, Argentina, he was trained as a
civil and industrial engineer. He is a self taught artist who
works are expressions of the world around him. He donated his
pieces to La Crosse because of the inspirational beauty he
found here.

Daly, Fussell F.
Daly is a graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute and holds
a Masters of Fine arts from the University of Michigan. He
has gained many awards for his art and exhibited extensively.
He resides in New Bedford, Massachusetts and teaches at the
Swain School of Design.

Diettmaier, Edward
Came to the United States in 1953 from Oberammergau, Germany
as a woodcarver for E. Hector Company to do work on St.
Joseph the Workman Cathedral. Diettmaier was a master wood
carver in his home town as well as educated at the University
of Munich. In 1965 the Hector company closed and Diettmaier
continued the carving business on his own. He has preserved
traditional German wood carving techniques in his own work and
trained his son Nick in them as well.

Although none of his sculptures are in "public places"
his carvings enrich many of the interiors of churches in
the area including St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, the
Catholic Diocese Offices, Holy Trinity and Blessed Sacrament.

Fischer, Stephan
Fischer is a Vietnam Vet and graduate of the Layton School of
Art and Design in Milwaukee. He is a professional full time
artist and has created ever 26 major pieces. He worked for 10
years at Allis Chalmers welding and assembling steel art until
1974 when he built his own studio.

Granlund, Paul
Granlund was born in 1925 in Minneapolis, Minnesota and began
his art education at the University of Minnesota. He later
received a Masters of Fine Arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art
in Michigan and studied in Italy under Fulbright and
Guggenheim Fellowships. He later returned to Minneapolis to
become chairman of the sculpture department at the Minneapolis
College of Art and Design. In 1971, he became sculptor in
residence at Gustavas Adolphus College and currently is still
teaching there.

Klahn, David
A native of La Crosse Klahn was born in 1943 and raised here.
He received a fine arts degree from the University of
Wisconsin, Lacrosse and an MFA degree from Madison. Klahn
currently teaches at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Petersen, Elmer
Petersen was born in 1929 and grew up in Racine, Wisconsin.
His art career began at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
He then taught art as well as chaired the Department of Art at
Texas Lutheran College in Sequin, Texas for twenty years.
Petersen has various public and private sculptures throughout
the Midwest and Southwest. He has been an independent artist
since 1978. In 1991, he joined the art staff at Viterbo
College in La Crosse, Wisconsin and lives in Onalaska.

Scarf, Thomas
Originally from Iowa, Scarf studied at the Art Institute of
Chicago.

Smith, Tommie
A 1976 graduate of the University of Arkansas, her native
state, the LWL "Ceramic Relief" was Smith's first major piece
after graduating.

White, Bruce
White is a graduate of the University of Maryland and holds a
masters and doctorate from Columbia University in New York.
He has had various exhibitions throughout the Midwest. He
lives in Sycamore, Illinois and is a Professor of Art at
Northern Illinois University.

Zircerhakl, Anthony
Commissioned by a group of civic leaders in the 1950's
Zimmerhakl created "Hiawatha". It took him four years to
create the piece with the help of his sons in the families
backyard. After Hiawatha other commissions came from Red
Wing, Minnesota and Wabasha, Minnesota and Muscatine, Iowa. A
local man, he taught art at the Longfellow Junior High School
for 17 years and Central High School for 13 years before
retiring in 1977. In 198C he and his wife moved to Bella
Vista, Arkansas. Zimmerhakl died in 1982.