Close-up of base, feet and wings from "Freedom of the Human Spirit" during its restoration
Animal sculpture--20th century. Bronze sculpture, American--20th century. Figure sculpture, American--20th century. Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998 New York World's Fair (1964-1965) Outdoor sculpture--United States. Public sculpture, American Sculpture--Conservation and restoration--United States.
The businessmen backers of the 1964-65 New York Worldâ€™s Fair aspired to produce an economic boom for the city that would rival the hugely successful New York Worldâ€™s Fair of 1939-40 that brought more than 44 million visitors to the city. Many of these planners, kids during the â€™39-40 Fair, hoped that the experience would be as memorable for their children and families has it had been for them. Dedicated to â€œManâ€™s Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe,â€ the Fairâ€™s theme was â€œPeace through Understanding.â€ The Fairâ€™s Sculpture Committee requested that Marshall Fredericks submit a proposal for a sculpture to be included at the event. Fredericks submitted several sketches and the Committee selected a sketch of two figures with swans. Originally the figures in the sketch had wings, but the review panel requested that Fredericks remove them in the final sculpture. According to the artist, the sculpture â€œdepicts human figures as if soaring in migratory flights with huge swans, an ancient symbol of eternal life.â€ One of four major sculptures at the Fair, the sculpture stood in the Court of States at the entrance of the U S Government Pavilion. This marked the second time Fredericks contributed a sculpture to a New York Worldâ€™s Fair, as he previously exhibited a fountain at the 1939 Fair. The Freedom of the Human Spirit still stands at its original location in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens borough. In 1983, Fredericks donated the design for this sculpture to his adopted hometown of Birmingham, Michigan in honor of the cityâ€™s fiftieth anniversary. Erected in Shain Park, the city financed the sculpture through generous donations from over one thousand individuals and corporations. In 2009, the city of Birmingham renovated the park and relocated the sculpture to an area in the center of the park. A small-scale casting of Freedom of the Human Spirit also serves as the annual Communications Award for the International Center for the Disabled (ICD), an organization of which Fredericks was a longtime benefactor.
Marshall M. Fredericks Papers Series II, Box 14, Folder 3
Use of this image requires permission from the Marshall M. Fredericks Archives.
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (New York, N.Y.)
Side view of the "Freedom of the Human Spirit" during its restoration with patina partially applied
View of "Freedom of the Human Spirit" with partially applied patina during its restoration
"Freedom of the Human Spirit" during its restoration with the Unisphere in the background
Animal sculpture--20th century. Bronze sculpture, American--20th century. Figure sculpture, American--20th century. Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998 New York World's Fair (1964-1965) Outdoor sculpture--United States. Public sculpture, American Sculpture--Conservation and restoration--United States. Unisphere (New York, N.Y.)
"Freedom of the Human Spirit" surrounded by scaffolding during its restoration
Close-up of base for "Freedom of the Human Spirit" during its restoration
Close-up view of "Freedom of the Human Spirit" during its restoration
Close-up of "Freedom of the Human" during its restoration
Alternate rear view of small-scale plasteline model for "Freedom of the Human Spirit"
Animal sculpture--20th century. Figure sculpture, American--20th century. Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998
Marshall M. Fredericks Papers Series II, Box 14, Folder 2
Use of this image requires permission from the creator.
Rear view of small-scale plasteline model for "Freedom of the Human Spirit"