Fulbright College To Dedicate "Courage To Lead" September 23

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The bronze sculpture "Courage to Lead" donated by Don Marr and James Kunzelmann to the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences will be dedicated at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 23. Speaking at the dedication will be Fulbright Dean Donald R. Bobbitt and former State Representative Jo Carson, who practices law in Ft. Smith and is a member of the Cherokee Indian tribe. The public is invited.

Marr, CEO of HR Factor, a Human Resources Consulting Firm, and Kunzelmann, a Fayetteville artist and teacher, donated the bronze sculpture by Native American artist Denny Haskew to the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century at the University of Arkansas. Marr, a graduate of Radford University who was raised in Virginia, said the sculpture is a gift not only to students and the campus, but also to the entire community.

"The Trail of Tears is a part of this area’s history, and many Native Americans live in the community and the region," said Marr. "I also wanted to see more public art in our community. My hope is that this piece leads others to respect diversity and opens the door for a dialogue about art, about history, and about leadership, the many questions that art confronts us with as we think about the human condition."

Currently valued at $54,000, the sculpture has been installed in the grassy area between Old Main and Vol Walker Hall. "Courage to Lead," which is six feet, four inches tall, depicts three warriors preparing to enter battle.

Marr and Kunzelmann met Denny Haskew, the Potawatomi artist who created the sculpture, at the Colorado Sculpture in the Park Show in Loveland, Colorado, and admired his work at the Santa Fe Indian Market as well. Named Artist of the Year by the Indian Arts and Crafts Association, Haskew recently sold another of his sculptures to the Smithsonian, which plans to install it at the entrance to the Native American Museum at the Institute. "Courage to Lead" has also been seen in an exhibit at the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa.

"We greatly appreciate this remarkable gift, one that will be available for all to enjoy year round," said Dean Bobbitt. "Such public art adds to the aesthetic appeal of our already beautiful campus."

The installation took place on May 5. John Kincaid, a representative of the Artists Guild, directed the work, setting the sculpture atop the 9,000-pound sandstone base. Both Kincaid and Haskew also plan to attend the dedication.