The “Handout Man” is again on the lookout at UNL’s Sheldon Museum of Art.
Gearing up for summer and the “Jazz in June” concert series, Sheldon exhibits staff spent the morning of March 30 reassembling Viola Frey’s multicolored, ceramic sculpture of a businessman. The iconic, nearly 10-foot-sculpture has been previously displayed in many of the museum’s galleries — however, this is the first time he’s peered out windows in the Great Hall’s southwest corner.
“The idea is to have him facing out during the summer Jazz in June concert series,” said Wally Mason, director of the museum. “We want him looking out at people while they look in at him. We also want people to come up and look out with him. The idea is to have people engage the sculpture in different and fun ways.”
Fired in 13 pieces, the sculpture goes together like a giant jigsaw puzzle — each piece carefully hefted into place via ladder and hydraulic lift, then gingerly bolted to the one next to and below it.
Exhibits staff called in Ed Rumbaugh, a retired Sheldon preparator, to help with the project.
“I’ve put this sculpture together about eight times,” Rumbaugh said. “The words and numbers on the pieces don’t make much sense or match up. I created the diagram on how it goes together after the first time we put it on display.”
Members of the Sheldon exhibits staff who helped rebuild the sculpture were Delan Lonowski, Dave Harvey and Natalie Smith.
“Handout Man” was part of the Sheldon’s “50 Gifts for 50 Years” exhibit, having been donated in 2011 by Wil and Sally Hergenrader.
For more information on the Sheldon and current exhibits, click here.
