Zenos Frudakis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zenos Frudakis
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Zenos Frudakis working on his sculpture of Frederick Law Olmsted.
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| Born | July 7, 1951 |
| Education | Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; University of Pennsylvania |
| Known for | Sculpture |
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Notable work
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Freedom, United States Air Force Memorial Honor Guard, Knowledge is Power, Payne Stewart at Pinehurst Golf Course |
Zenos Frudakis (born July 7, 1951) is an American sculptor. He creates many different types of art. These include large monuments, memorials, and statues of famous people. He also sculpts military figures, sports stars, and animals.
For over 40 years, Frudakis has made huge artworks. He has also created more than 100 sculptures of people. His art is found in public and private collections around the world. Frudakis lives and works near Philadelphia. He is most famous for his sculpture Freedom. This artwork shows people breaking free from a wall. It is located in downtown Philadelphia. Other well-known works are at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina. His art is also in New York City, England, Japan, and South Africa.
Contents
About Zenos Frudakis
Zenos Frudakis was born on July 7, 1951, in San Francisco. He is the oldest of five children. His parents were Greek-American. He grew up mostly in Indiana, but also spent some years in Wheeling, West Virginia.
When he was a child, Zenos first started sculpting. He used dough his mother gave him while she was baking bread. Growing up in a Greek family, he began drawing and reading very young. This started his lifelong habit of studying and creating art every day. He gets ideas from ancient Greek art. He also admires famous sculptors like Michelangelo and Auguste Rodin.
Frudakis started college near his home in Gary, Indiana. This was because his father was ill. During summers, he worked in steel mills. From 1970 to 1971, he attended Indiana University Northwest.
In 1972, Frudakis moved to Philadelphia. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. At the same time, he learned sculpture privately from his older brother, Evangelos Frudakis. He also studied painting with James Hanes. From 1977 to 1983, he went to the University of Pennsylvania. There, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in Fine Arts.
His Art Career
Early Sculptures
In 1976, Frudakis married Rosalie Gluchoff. They opened a gallery and ran Frudakis Studio in Philadelphia. His first big project was a sculpture of Samuel L. Evans. Evans founded the American Foundation for Negro Affairs. Frudakis then sculpted portraits of important leaders. These included Wilson Goode, a former mayor of Philadelphia. He also sculpted K. Leroy Irvis, the first African American Speaker of a State Legislature.
Sculpting People and Portraits
Frudakis kept making sculptures that focused on people and their faces. He created many large artworks, individual statues, and busts. He also made bas-reliefs, which are sculptures that stick out from a flat surface. He sculpted both living people and historical figures. He tried to show their true character and energy.
Some of his famous portrait statues include:
- Businessman John D. MacArthur in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
- Judge Lois Browne-Evans in Hamilton, Bermuda.
- Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in Asheville, North Carolina.
- Lawyer Clarence Darrow in Dayton, Tennessee.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sculpture
Some of Frudakis's sculptures have caused discussion. He made a life-size bronze bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. At that time, South Africa had apartheid, a system of racial separation. The U.S. government warned Frudakis he could be arrested for bringing the sculpture into the country. So, the bust was brought in secretly in 1989.
The sculpture was placed just inside the embassy's fence. This made it visible to the public but safe from the South African government. It stood as a symbol of the U.S.'s opposition to apartheid.
Clarence Darrow Statue
Frudakis's statue of lawyer Clarence Darrow brought back old arguments. It was placed outside the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee, in 2017. This courthouse was where the famous 1925 Scopes "monkey trial" happened. In that trial, John T. Scopes was accused of teaching human evolution. Darrow defended Scopes.
Since 2005, a sculpture of William Jennings Bryan, who argued against Scopes, had been on the courthouse lawn. The Darrow sculpture was placed there to balance it. Some local people who oppose teaching evolution in schools did not like the Darrow statue.
Sports Sculptures
Frudakis has created many bronze sculptures of sports figures. These include golf, baseball, hockey, and boxing stars.
Payne Stewart at Pinehurst
Golfer Payne Stewart is shown in a famous pose. He has one leg in the air and a fist raised to the sky. Frudakis captured this moment in a bronze statue. It is at Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina. Stewart made this gesture after winning the U.S. Open in 1999. The sculpture was revealed in 2001.
In 2014, when Pinehurst hosted the U.S. Open again, many people posed with the statue. They copied Stewart's famous pose. Thousands saw these images on TV and online. Payne's daughter, Chelsea, was photographed with her father's sculpture.
Other Golfers
Frudakis has sculpted other famous golfers. These include:
- Arnold Palmer at the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.
- Jack Nicklaus at the USGA Museum.
- Dinah Shore at the Wall of Champions.
- Bob Jones at East Lake Golf Club.
- Robert H. Dedman, Sr. and Richard Tufts at Pinehurst Resort.
He also created a bronze trophy called The Arnie. This award is for golfers who do a lot of charity work.
Baseball Hall of Famers
Frudakis made larger-than-life sculptures of Baseball Hall of Famers. These include Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Richie Ashburn, and Robin Roberts. All are at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
He also sculpted Joe DiMaggio kneeling to talk to a young boy. This statue is at the DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. It has a message: "We never stand so tall as when we stoop to help a child."
Boxer James J. Braddock
World champion boxer James J. Braddock is honored with a 10-foot, 1,500-pound bronze statue. Braddock was known as "the Cinderella Man." The statue is in James J. Braddock North Hudson Park in New Jersey. This is near where the boxer lived and trained. The sculpture was revealed on September 27, 2018. Many people attended, including Braddock's family and other famous boxers.
Hockey All-Star Brian Phillip Propp
A portrait bust of National Hockey League All-Star Brian Phillip Propp is on display. It is at the Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame.
Major Artworks
Frudakis has sculpted many different things. He uses bronze, stainless steel, and clay. His works include monuments, memorials, and statues of people and animals. They range in size from small relief panels to huge monuments.
His most famous works include Freedom and the United States Air Force Memorial Honor Guard. Other important pieces are Payne Stewart, John D. McArthur, and Nina Simone.
Frank Rizzo Statue
One of Frudakis's early projects was a statue of Philadelphia mayor and police commissioner Frank Rizzo. It was revealed in 1999. The statue caused controversy because of Rizzo's past actions. It was removed in 2020 after the George Floyd protests.
John D. McArthur Statue
This 8-foot bronze statue honors John D. MacArthur, who founded Palm Beach Gardens. It stands on a 3-foot granite base. The sculpture was revealed on November 21, 2010. This was part of the city's 50th anniversary. It is at the city hall entrance in Florida.
Frederick Law Olmsted Sculpture
The North Carolina Arboretum asked Frudakis to create this sculpture. It is the first larger-than-life-size sculpture of Frederick Law Olmsted. He is known as the father of American landscape architecture. The statue was revealed on April 22, 2016. It is at the Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina.
The Olmsted sculpture is placed on a large natural stone. It has a view of the Pisgah National Forest behind it. Frudakis said he wanted to show Olmsted as a great thinker. He holds an abstract map in his hands, showing how his ideas shaped the land.
Nina Simone Memorial
The memorial sculpture of Nina Simone shows the "High Priestess of Soul" sitting. She is playing a keyboard that looks like a floating wave. This design shows grace, rhythm, and music. Simone's daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, posed for Frudakis.
The eight-foot bronze statue honors the famous singer and human rights activist. Her ashes are placed inside a sculpted heart within the figure's chest. The Nina Simone sculpture was dedicated on February 16, 2017. This would have been Simone's 77th birthday. The memorial is in Nina Simone Plaza in her hometown of Tryon, North Carolina.
Molly Maguires Memorial
The larger-than-life Molly Maguires Memorial shows a key moment in the group's history. This was "The Day of the Rope" on June 21, 1877. Ten people from the Molly era lost their lives that day. The sculpture shows a single hooded figure on a scaffold, just before being hanged. This powerful artwork makes people think about history differently. A copy of this sculpture is in the State Museum of Pennsylvania.
Public Monuments
Frudakis's first public monument was The Water Hole. It shows a life-size elephant playfully spraying water on a boy. It was made for a mall in Burlington, New Jersey.
Other public monuments include:
- Path to Manhood in Dallas.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monument in Chester, Pennsylvania.
- Knowledge is Power at Rowan University.
- The United States Air Force National Memorial Honor Guard in Arlington, Virginia.
- Freedom in Philadelphia.
Knowledge is Power
This monument was inspired by the quote "Knowledge is Power." Frudakis created it to encourage learning. The sculpture looks like an open book, 8 feet high and 12 feet wide. Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein appear to come out of its pages. These figures represent big changes in how we understand the world.
The sculpture also has faces and quotes from 31 other important figures. These include scientists, historians, and artists. They show different ideas and struggles through history. On the left page, Darwin is surrounded by early thinkers. On the right, Einstein is surrounded by more modern figures. The artwork encourages viewers to explore different ideas and find their own meaning.
Knowledge is Power was installed in 2014. It is at the entrance to James Hall at Rowan University in New Jersey.
United States Air Force Memorial Honor Guard
The United States Air Force Memorial Honor Guard is a 16-foot-high monument. It has four 8-foot bronze figures. They are colored blue-gray and stand side by side on a bronze base. The two middle figures carry the U.S. and Air Force flags. Two rifle guards stand on either side.
The Honor Guard soldiers in the sculpture represent different backgrounds. They include a Caucasian man, an African American man, a Latino man, and a Caucasian woman. The sculpture stands in front of a granite wall. This wall has the names of U.S. Air Force members who received the Medal of Honor. Another wall has Air Force values: "Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do."
The monument is next to three stainless-steel spires. These spires soar above the statues. The memorial is near The Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
The sculpture was designed with great detail. Clothing, ties, medals, and flags were all precisely measured. This followed the strict rules of the Honor Guard. The Air Force Memorial was dedicated in 2006. About 30,000 people attended the ceremony.
Freedom Sculpture
Freedom is Frudakis's most famous public sculpture. It is in downtown Philadelphia. The monument is 20 feet long, 8 feet high, and weighs 7,000 pounds. It shows a person changing and breaking free from a wall in four steps.
Frudakis was inspired by Rodin's The Gates of Hell. He included many smaller sculptures and personal touches within the wall. The bronze model, the sculptor's hand, and tools are cast into the wall. Figures are shown partly sculpted, revealing how art is made.
The back of the sculpture's wall has more elements. Frudakis calls this the "Other Side of Freedom." It shows mummy-like shapes in a tomb-like structure.
Awards and Exhibitions
Selected Awards
Zenos Frudakis has received many awards for his work:
- National Endowment for the Arts grant for sculpture (1985).
- Arts America grant for sculpture and lecturing in Africa (1989).
- Hakone Award, Rodin Grand Prize, Japan (1990).
- Edwin and Theresa Richards Award for Portraiture, National Sculpture Society.
- Silver Medal of Honor, National Sculpture Society.
- Honorary Doctorate from Accademico Internationale, Rome, Italy (1993).
Selected Exhibitions
His sculptures have been shown in many places:
- Southern Alleghenies Museum of the Arts, Ligonier, PA (2013).
- Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa, FL (2013).
- Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC (2013).
- Atwater Kent Museum, Philadelphia, PA (2005).
- Hakone Open-Air Museum, Hakone, Japan (1990).
- National Academy of Design, New York, NY (1991, 1993).
- Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, PA (1981-1983).
Sculptures Around the World
Frudakis's art can be found in many countries.
- Reaching: Two bronze figures in Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum, Japan (1990).
- Honor Guard: Memorial at Imperial War Museum, Duxford, England (2018).
- Martin Luther King and Freedom: Public sculpture in Peace Garden, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (2018).
- Hon. Dame Lois Browne-Evans: Statue in Justice Center, Hamilton, Bermuda (2011).
- Arnold Palmer: Statue at Tralee Golf Club, Ireland (2007).
- Dr. Constantine Papadakis: Portrait bust in Meskla, Greece (2010).
- Lamby (Abigail), Irish Wolfhound: Statue in Old Bladbean Stud Garden, England.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., South Africa: Portrait bust at U.S. Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa (1989).
Sculptures in America
Over more than 40 years, Frudakis has created many important works in the U.S. These include the United States Air Force Memorial Honor Guard at Arlington National Cemetery and Freedom in Philadelphia.
Monumental Sculptures
- Freedom: Monument in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2000).
- U.S. Air Force Memorial Honor Guard: Memorial in Arlington, Virginia (2006).
- Knowledge is Power: Monument at Rowan University, New Jersey (2014). It includes over 30 portraits and two large figures.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Monument in Chester, Pennsylvania (2010).
- The Path to Manhood: Monument at St. Mark's School of Texas, Dallas, Texas.
Memorials
- U.S. Air Force Memorial Honor Guard: Memorial in Arlington, Virginia (2006).
- Molly Maguires Memorial: In Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania (2002).
- The Workers' Memorial: In Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (1991).
- Anthracite Miners' Memorial: Relief in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania (1996).
- Nina Simone: Memorial in Tryon, North Carolina (2010).
- Veterans Memorial: In Collegeville, Pennsylvania (1991).
Statues
- Clarence Darrow: Statue in Dayton, Tennessee (2017).
- Ellis Arnall: Statue at Georgia State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia (1997).
- Frederick Law Olmsted: Statue in Asheville, North Carolina (2015).
- Michael Kahn: Statue in Washington, DC. (2012).
- John D. MacArthur: Statue in Palm Beach Gardens, North Palm Beach, Florida (2010).
- Frank L. Rizzo Monument: In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1999). It was removed in 2020.
Sports Sculptures
Boxing
- James J. Braddock, the Cinderella Man: Statue in North Bergen, New Jersey (2018).
Golf
- Payne Stewart: Statue at Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina (2001).
- Arnold Palmer: Statue at Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, Augusta, Georgia (1996). Also at Arnold Palmer Airport, Pennsylvania, and Tralee, Ireland.
- Jack Nicklaus: Statue at USGA Museum, New Jersey (2015). Also at Valhalla Golf Club, Kentucky.
- Dinah Shore Wall of Champions: Relief sculpture in Rancho Mirage, California (1995).
- Robert H. Dedman Sr.: Statue at Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina.
- Richard Tufts: Statue at Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina.
- Bob Jones: Portrait bust at East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia. Also a statue at Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.
Baseball
- Mike Schmidt: Statue at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2004).
- Steve Carlton: Statue at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2004).
- Richie Ashburn: Statue at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2004).
- Robin Roberts: Statue at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2004).
- Joe DiMaggio and Young Boy: Statue at DiMaggio Children's Hospital, Hollywood, Florida (2002).
Hockey
- Brian Propp: Portrait bust at Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame.
Coaches
- Coach Fritz Brennan: Statue in Ardmore, Pennsylvania (1990).
- Coach Ron Fraser: Statue at University of Miami, Florida (2015).
- Coach "Lake" Staffieri: Relief at Franklin Field, University of Pennsylvania (2010).
Award Sculptures
Frudakis has also created sculptures used as awards:
- General MacArthur Award: Given to top junior military officers.
- The Arnie Award: For golf philanthropy.
- The Bob Jones Award: Highest honor from the US Golf Association.
- Forward Award: For protecting separation of church and state.
- Darrow Award: For promoting science and free thought.
Gallery
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Freedom sculpture in Philadelphia, PA with sculptor Zenos.
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Knowledge is Power with Zenos Frudakis
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Gateway to Growth (in progress)
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Chef Pepin, portrait sculpture and Zenos
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General Yarborough, Airborne & Special Ops Museum, Fayetteville, NC
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Jack Nicklaus, Dwight Gahm Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, KY
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Mark Twain, The Lotos Club, New York, NY
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Pennsylvania Anthracite Miners Memorial in Shenandoah, PA by Zenos Frudakis.
See also
- Brookgreen Gardens
- Hakone Open-Air Museum
- Arnold Palmer
- Laurel Valley Golf Club
- Valhalla Golf Club
- Citizens Bank Park
- Statue of Ellis Arnall
- List of public art in Philadelphia
- Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania
