It seems that George Eastman would be the kind of man that would scoff at a statue of himself. At first, I thought the whole construction and unveiling of the structure was quite absurd, especially considering the toll the recession has taken on the country. The statue seemed like the kind of expense we should save for later as we try to focus on regaining funding for programs like HEOP (Higher Education Opportunities Program). However, as I was passing by the monument on my way to class, I couldn’t help but stop, look up and smile.

Eastman led a ridiculous life and, along the line, he found himself able to engage in some disciplined intrinsic reasoning that led him to deviate from a tradition of self-interest enough to give the city of Rochester financial aid and the vision of a globally influential University.

He may not have cared about me, but I have grown here as a consequence of him. So I like the idea of immortalizing this man in a statue and I hope it is one like Abraham Lincoln that we can each go to and sit and ponder on his lap and focus on our visions of change in the world. But I think it is something else.

The unveiling will be the opening of a five-star rest stop for the campus birds and even if no one cares more about it than after this weekend, the concept of living for others is a theme that we should try to recognize by its presence in ours.

 

George Eastman has done a lot for our school and the formation of the George Eastman Circle could likely be a great thing (though I find it curious that this connection is not widely publicized). However, do we really need another representational sculpture? I love the aging statues outside Meliora, but I would really love to see some fresh pieces on campus. While the artist, Marc Mellon, is undoubtedly highly respected and technically talented, I wish that the university had taken this opportunity to do something different, something less predictable and more interesting.

If nothing else, I wish they had at least consulted more art students on this. It could have created some interesting dialogue on what we’d like to see on our campus; and it is our campus, right?