Life in Art at the Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum
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I recently stopped at the Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum during my #MittenTrip to Midland. Until this trip, I didn’t know that this museum existed nor the extensive role Fredericks played in Michigan art.
This museum, located on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University, is an example of the many gems of culture and art that exist across the Awesome Mitten. The sculpture on its exterior, Youth in the Hands of God, gives a small taste of the grandeur that awaits inside.
About Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum
The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum is a free admission museum and sculpture garden on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University that features a unique collection of more than 200 sculptures that span the 70-year career of “America’s Public Sculptor,” Marshall M. Fredericks (1908-1998).
The Sculptures
Christ on the Cross Sculpture
As you enter you cannot help but be amazed by the 28-foot full-scale model of Christ on the Cross. Affixed to the wall with special brackets, this sculpture appears to be floating in air. The corresponding bronze fixture took only three years to construct, and installation of the finished piece in Indian River, Michigan occurred in 1959.
Saints and Sinners Sculptures
Spirituality is a theme in many of Fredericks’ sculptures, such as a series that he did called Saints and Sinners. These seven statutes include a statue of the Holy Mother and Child. Located opposite of the Christ sculpture, it appears as they are watching over them.
Every year the Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum holds a Saints & Sinners gala, usually held near the month of October.
Spirit of Detroit Sculpture
A model of Spirit of Detroit sits to the right of the cross. This is without question one of Marshall Fredericks’ best-known sculptures.
Standing up close to the model, noticeably smaller than the 26-foot tall sculpture on Woodward Avenue, allows you to appreciate every small detail. It took Fredericks seven years to complete the project, and it was the largest statue made of bronze since the era of the Renaissance.
The finished piece, estimated at more than a million dollars, has become a priceless symbol of Detroit. One might say, for those living in Michigan, it is as important as the Statue of Liberty.
Fountain of Eternal Life Sculpture
Fountain of Eternal Life displays Marshall Fredericks’ fascination with the theme of freedom and the human spirit. The model on display at the museum is only a sample of the larger World War II memorial and surrounding fountains.
The city of Cleveland commissioned the full bronze statue, which took almost 20 years to complete. The plaster model at the Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum stands grandly in the main windows, and the sunlight highlights the intricate designs on the globe-like pedestal on which he stands.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland statute is lit at night, giving the impression of a man arising from the flames. Due to this, the piece is also known as “Peace Arising from the Flames of War.”
More Sculptures
These pieces are just a sample of the many interesting items on display at the Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum. For example, The Lion and the Mouse is displayed both in plaster and bronze, so that the viewer can see how a model translates to a finished work.
There is also a bust of John F. Kennedy that Fredericks created from a composite of drawings. Sculptures fill and extend outside the building, including a bronze statue of Black Elk, a spiritual leader of the North American Indians.
Who Was Marshall Fredericks?
To better understand his art, it’s important to know who Marshall Fredericks was as a person, as well.
Most importantly, he chose to make Michigan his home. Born in Illinois and a world traveler, he cemented his life in the mitten state when an invitation to teach at Cranbrook Academy of Art initially brought him to our state in 1932.
Cranbrook Academy of Art has educated many amazing artists, such as Nick Cave, Tony Rosenthal, and Charles Eames.
Fredericks stopped teaching in 1942, due to his desire to enlist in the armed forces during World War II. After the war ended, he resided in Birmingham until his passing in 1998. His passion for teaching and his love for children continues, as this museum now uses his art to teach college students and young people the beauty and importance of art in the world.
One quote of his really struck me: “I want more than anything in the world to do a sculpture which will have real meaning for other people, many people, and might in some way encourage, inspire, or give them happiness.”
Plan a Visit to the Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum
My visit to this museum truly inspired me and stirred me with a sense of awe. It also makes me want to travel to see his many sculptures located in public places around greater Detroit. Seeing the art and process in person at this free museum is the best way for art lovers to embrace his talent and contributions.
Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum is located at 7400 Bay Rd in University Center, MI, and is open Monday – Saturday.
Where do you go to find inspiring artists and their work in Michigan? Let us know in the comments!
I met Marshall Frederick’s in 1990 and interviewed him (video recording) at his studio. We went to lunch and he invited me to go to Cranbrook where he gave me a guided tour. He then invited me to his house to meet his wife and to tour his garden. – The reason I was interviewing him was, the person in charge of restoring the Carl Milles doors at the Pennsylvania State Treasury, Mr. Frederick’s was the only living person who had worked on the doors with Mr. Milles at Cranbrook. In a telephone conversation with the Carl Milles Museum in Sweden, they told us that Mr. Frederick’s was still living in Michigan. I drove to Michigan on a Friday and interviewed Mr. Fredericks most of Saturday. What a great experience. I shall never forget it.
Best regards,
Gerald Nikolaus