Date: April 16, 2008
Contact: Lindsay Gladstone
Governors State University
Phone: (708) 534-7090
Fax: (708) 534-8399
Email: l-gladstone@govst.edu
For Immediate Release
University Park, IL, April 16, 2008– A summer of great art, great fun, and great friends kicks off on Saturday, May 3 with a day of activities for the whole family at the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park on the grounds of Governors State University in University Park.
The day begins with refreshments and a brief ribbon cutting ceremony at 8:45 a.m. on the patio overlooking the pond and several of the 26 amazing sculptures by world-renowned artists on display at the park.
“Kids, Kolors, and Kites,” from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., combines artistry with the joy of creating and flying kites. Children 8 years old and older accompanied by an adult learn about kites, create their own kites, and then fly them over the trees and sculptures of the park. No advance registration is required. There is a $10 fee (cash or check) per kite for materials.
Tours of both the northern portion of the park, (from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.), and the southern portion, (from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.), are led by enthusiastic docents who provide new insight into the remarkable vision of the artists. During each tour, guests have the opportunity to see most of the sculptures, learn about the artists, and the history of the park. The tours are free and no advance registration is required. Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes for the walk around the sculpture park. Tours begin on the patio behind in the Hall of Governors.
A bicycle tour of the park offers a completely different view of the sculptures. It begins outside, behind D-Wing at 2 p.m. All participants must wear bicycle helmets and there will be some riding on public roads. This tour is free and no pre-registration is required.
The Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park at Governors State University is open from dawn until dusk, 365 days a year. It includes sculptures by a variety of nationally and internationally acclaimed artists including significant works by Mark di Suvero, Mary Miss, Bruce Nauman, Martin Puryear, Joel Shapiro, and Richard Hunt.
Governors State University is located at 1 University Parkway, University Park. For more information about the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park Super Summer Season Inaugural Event, or other scheduled programs, call (708) 534-4486 or e-mail sculpture@govst.edu.
