Oxford Sculpture Exhibit Leaves Confines of Museum Walls

This sculpture in front of The Graduate hotel is one of 11 that will be a part of Oxford’s landscape for four months as part of sculptor George Tobolowsky’s exhibition at the University of Mississippi Museum.
All photos provided by Earl Dismuke

By Alyssa Schnugg
Staff writer
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

Sculptor George Tobolowsky has had his metal sculptures displayed at dozens of museums around the world and a part of several university collections, public art collections and numerous private collections.

Thanks to a collaboration with the University of Mississippi Museum, 11 of his sculptures will be a part of Oxford’s landscape for the next four months.

Sculptor George Tobolowsky

Eight of the 11 sculptures have already been placed in various locations around Oxford including on the museum grounds, at the Walton-Young house, in front of The Graduate Hotel, at FNC Inc., the Inn at Ole Miss, on the Green Roof Lounge on top of the Courtyard Marriott hotel, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi and at the newly opened South Lamar.

About 20 of Tobolowsky’s metal sculptures, will be on display inside the museum from Aug. 21-Dec. 8. The exhibit, dubbed, “A Long Road Back,” includes pieces that range from abstract winding forms to representational subjects. The artist uses steel and stainless steel that he finds in scrap yards and fabrication plants.

The indoor/outdoor exhibit has been in the works for a couple of years, Tobolowsky said and has been largely orchestrated by his friend, and fellow artist, Earl Dismuke, an Oxford artist who is the co-founder of the Yokna Sculpture Trail and guest curator for the outdoor portion of Tobolowsky’s exhibit. 

“Earl invited me to be involved in the first year of the Sculpture Trail about five years ago,” said Tobolowsky, who lives in Dallas, Texas. “I really had a great experience. Then I came back for a football game about two years ago and saw Earl and we ran into the director of the museum.”

The friendly meeting soon turned continued discussions between University Director Robert Saarnio and Tobolowsky to plan Tobolowsky’s exhibition at the museum.

“We also collaborated with Earl to do an exhibition around the city at the same time,” Tobolowsky said.

The remaining three statues are set to be installed in the next several weeks, Dismuke said.

The sculptures will be removed after four months, in December. Dismuke said it’s the first time for the University Museum to participate in a joint indoor/outdoor exhibit.

An artist’s exhibit welcome will be held for Tobolowsky at the UM Museum from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 13 at the University Museum.