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george anthonisen george anthonisen

George R. Anthonisen
"Promise" Bas Relief
Bronze
78" x 96"

Part of the permanent collection of the Berman Museum (Collegeville, PA).


promise
Photograph by Stephen Barth.
promise promise
promise
Sculptor George Anthonisen admires "Promise/Anthem" as installed at the Berman Museum at Ursinus College.

The bas relief sculptures of "Promise" and "Anthem" were dedicated as a memorial the Berman Museum at Ursinus College (Collegeville, PA) by the War Years Classes of 1942-1949. The sculptures are part of the permanent collection of the War Years Lobby, Wismer Campus Center. The War Years Classes were compelled to leave behind a legacy because of the impact of World War II on their lives, the nation, and the world. The War Years Classes raised over $3.2 million to help fund their memorial. Thus, the bas relief sculptures stand not only as a symbol of the war years, but also as a symbol of the generosity of the War Years Classes. The message of these sculptures, while deeply personal to those who experienced the campus and the effects of war, is also a universal one that has an impact on the Ursinus Campus today and will speak to future generations.

On the sculpture "Promise" (shown above), the chapel, flag, and science building are symbols of faith, freedom, and learning at Ursinus College. From their campus surroundings, a central couple stands together, soon to separate, facing the war with concern and apprehension, exemplifying courage and idealism. Students on the steps of Freeland Hall symbolize any place students gather in peace and tranquility. The interior of the library points to an environment of tradition, history, and knowledge. The train leaves from the Collegeville Station taking young Ursinus men to military bases.

"There is no hidden symbolism in "Promise" and "Anthem". The story these bas reliefs tell is the one told to me and the same story it will tell others who come to this college campus well into the future. The images are literal and come together in a logical story in my mind. I expect viewers to take these images and form a story based on personal experiences. This campus -- in fact, every college campus -- is a proving ground for young people. This era -- just as every time -- has its tests."
"For many, a college education is a means of getting ahead, preparing for a career. "Promise" and "Anthem" are a reminder that every student, every individual, has a destiny that is larger than a job. We must eventually take our place in the history of humanity. Often times, an era is defined by the price we pay or the sacrifice we make in order to reach our destiny."
"The students on this campus in the 1940s were inadvertently at a crossroads in the history of our nation and world. They were also at a crossroads in their own lives, not unlike the students who arrive every fall. Ursinus College was far removed from the bombs and killing a half-world away and half a century ago. It would have been easy to become isolated from the coming war, to ignore the tempest far away and to be immersed in private lives and fortunes."
"The promise of their personal futures and the anthem of their response to the tragedies and oppression in the world are the legacies of the War Years Classes (1942-1949) at Ursinus College."
"I have tried to recreate in bronze the living joy, hope, anguish, fear, and courage that typified the individuals, families, and communities of the war years. It is not an insult to say Ursinus College students were typical of their day. Our nation is fortunate that in one of the darkest moments in world history, ordinary people responded in such determined fashion that victory would be won in little more time that it takes to complete college. The example of the ordinary heroes of the war years leaves future generations to ask the recurring question: Can we rise to the same level of sacrifice?"
"Today we are faced with choices similar to the students of the 1940s. We must continue to leave the safety of our present to accomplish the work of our future. Our situations are as diverse as the 50 years that separate us, yet the threats and the opportunities are no less real."
"The paradox of the serene campus and chaotic battlefield are examples of the peace and uncertainty we experience in our daily lives. The tranquility of Bomberger Chapel and the terror surrounding the burning synagogue continue to be reminders of the good and evil still present. Most importantly, the people -- friends, wives, sons, professors, soldiers, corpses -- remind us of our place in time."
"The sculptures "Promise" and "Anthem" are not so much about events in history as they are about humankind's evolving saga. Yet the work is rooted in the historical, as much a part of text books as oral tradition. As this century comes to an end, what family among us hasn't been touched in some way by the war years? The soldiers were joined in the battle by the workers at home, young and old who could not contribute helped with the sacrifices of things this generation has never been without. It was a time when every individual was engaged in a struggle for the basic values of human life: to live with freedom, morality, and spirituality."
"For all its historical images, this work does not tell the story of our past as much as it challenges us to form our future and fulfill our destiny." - George Anthonisen, November 1998


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