JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 21, 2009 — 51社区 art professor Lee Benson and three of his students worked in the cold and rain for two days in downtown Indianapolis. Only after all the labor did Benson realize that the sculpture didn鈥檛 work.
He informed the students, and was pleasantly surprised when they were excited to keep going. After hours of working and reworking, the piece was finished on time.
鈥淲e were ready to take action and just do whatever it took,鈥� said Caleb Booth, a junior art major who worked with Benson on the project. 鈥淚 guess we were just trying to give our best no matter what -- rain or shine.鈥�
The sculpture, entitled 鈥淭he Eternal Bow,鈥� is on display for the next two years at the White River State Park in Indianapolis as part of the city鈥檚 Sculpture in the Park program. Joining Benson and Booth on the project were Rachel Binkley, a sophomore art major, and Becky Webb, who attended Union last year.
Benson said 鈥淭he Eternal Bow鈥� was created with absolute truth in mind.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know the number of hairs on your head, but there is an exact number. No more. No less.鈥� Benson said. 鈥淭here is an exact number of pebbles on the sidewalk. There is an exact number of leaves on a tree. There are all of these absolute truths that we know very little of, yet we think we are so knowledgeable.
鈥淚f you took all the absolute truth in the entire universe (we) would know a fraction of a fraction of a fraction.鈥�
Benson said Christians have absolute truths they need to share, and one of those truths is that every knee will eventually bow to Jesus 鈥� no matter if people believe in Buddha, Jesus or nothing.
To look inside the sculpture, visitors have to bow down to walk inside, Benson said. Once there, they can see a view of the city of Indianapolis.
For the students, the project gave them an experience they could not have received in the classroom.
鈥淚n many ways it was a beautiful piece, and it was just really neat to see a working artist at work,鈥� Binkley said. 鈥淚t was a huge privilege for us to be able to do that.鈥�