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ACCEPTANCE OF THE
DOROTHY AND TOTO SCULPTURE FOR OZ PARK
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To the Honorable Board of Commissioners
of the Chicago Park District
I. Recommendation
It is recommended that an order be entered authorizing the acceptance of the Dorothy and Toto sculpture donation from the Oz Park Advisory Council.
II. Funding
The Oz Park Advisory Council has raised the total $60,000 needed for the sculpture along a commitment to raise additional funds for future maintenance of all of the sculptures in the park.
IV. Explanation
The Oz Park Advisory Council proposes the donation of Dorothy and Toto to complement the park's existing Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion sculptures. The Dorothy and Toto sculpture will be placed to the west of Dorothy's Playground just to the south of Orchard Street.
The sculpture will be approximately 6 feet tall and will be installed on a 4 feet high base in a lawn area at the fork of two paths. The sculpture will be composed of bronze and the base will be made of concrete. In a manner similar to the Scarecrow sculpture, Dorothy and Toto will be finished in colored patinas to highlight its various features.
John Kearny, who will sculpt Dorothy and Toto, is the artist of the three other existing pieces in the park. A well-known Chicago artist, Kearney has created sculptures of welded steel automobile bumpers, stainless steel, and cast bronze for many years. He was educated at the famed Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, and the University per Stanierie, Perugia Italy. He was a visiting artist at the American Academy in Rome in 1985, 1992, and 1998. Mr. Kearney has works in major museums, galleries, and collections throughout the nation including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Illinois State Museum, the Detroit Children's Museum, Witchita Art Museum, and the Lincoln Park Zoo.
This is the fourth and last sculpture to be donated to the park by the Oz Park Advisory Council. Recognizing the fact that the four sculpt...
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