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PUBLIC ART:
A GUIDE TO FREE-STANDING SCULPTURE

"ORZO"

The second in a series of "public art" (see "Humagination") contributed by Sculptor Adrien Francescutti, this piece is located outside the City's YMCA Facility on South Park Street. During the spring of 1981, Mr. Francescutti discovered that "a friend of a friend" had taken possession of a large piece of granite which had until recently formed part of a former post office building in downtown Halifax and which was then resting in a back yard in Dartmouth.Upon hearing of Mr. Francescutti's interest, this "friend of a friend" volunteered (at some considerable expenditure of time and effort) to move the stone to the South Park site at no charge, a service which was greatly appreciated by the sculptor, particularly given the stone's size and weight.

According to Mr. Francescutti, work on the project spanned the Spring and Fall Equinoxes (from March 21 to September 21) and was closely watched by numerous passerbys in this very busy section of downtown Halifax. Many became so involved in the creative process that they would ask for pieces of granite chips as souvenirs with the result that there was often very little residue to be cleared away at the end of the sculptor's day. Some of the spectators offered valuable assistance as did one of the patrons of a nearby lounge who had come out to watch the proceedings during a band intermission. Learning that Mr. Francescutti was desperately searching for an over-sized chizel with which to work on the sculpture's center, the man (who was later found to be a master machinist) returned the next evening with exactly what was needed.

Unfortunately, this piece has become commonly known as "the kiss." While Mr. Francescutti says he appreciates the comparison with Rodin, the sculpture actually had its origins in the somewhat less romantic "Mobius Strip" which, when applied to a piece of paper, results in a seemingly continuous strip with only one side. The sculptor felt this to be a suitable theme, given the YMCA's commitment to improving "mind," "body," and "spirit" as three components of a whole.

As with "Humagination," Mr. Francescutti (who confesses to a singular lack of inspiration when it comes to naming his own work) held an informal contest, receiving almost 150 submissions. This time the winning entry was "Orzo," whose appearance and cadence appealed to the sculptor but which was actually rumored to be the name of the winner's favorite soup from a nearby restaurant.

Public Art Brochure: List of Contents