Segal Gallery Presents George Segal Day – Dec. 18

Montclair State University’s George Segal Gallery will offer a daylong program, George Segal Day, on Thursday, December 18, 2014, for all members of the University and neighboring communities. To commemorate the anniversary of Segal’s 90th birthday and the on-campus installation of his iconic sculpture, Street Crossing (1992), hands-on art activities, film screenings, a temporary exhibition of Segal’s work and an evening panel presentation are planned.

The sculpture – a collection of seven bronze figures with white patina – is one of Segal’s best-known works and was a gift to Montclair State by the George and Helen Segal Foundation in 2006. Located outside the University’s oldest building, College Hall, the life-size figures are on display throughout the year.

“Street Crossing reminds me of the way people walk as they go to where ever it is that they are going,” says George Segal’s daughter, Rena, who was one of the models for the work and will be on campus for the day of celebration. “They cross the street in groups and then wander off to their destinations, each person in his or her own world.”

The following George Segal Day activities are free and open to the public:

• Film Screening: The film George Segal: American Still Life chronicles the life and work of the New Jersey artist. There will be screenings hourly from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the George Segal Gallery.
• Photo Contest: The public is invited to join the campus community by taking a “Selfie with Segal” at Street Crossing and entering it into a digital photo contest. Photos will be featured on the gallery’s Facebook page and winners will be crowd-sourced through public voting. There will be a “Best Photo” winner and five “Top Photo” entries. Winners will be announced on December 16 and will be invited to attend an invitation-only reception on the evening of George Segal Day.
• Exhibit: A temporary exhibition of George Segal’s plaster casts will be on view in the Gallery on December 18, along with a selection of black and white photographs by Dr. Donald Lokuta, a photographer, academic and close friend of the artist. According to Lokuta, “George Segal’s sculptures of everyday people, doing everyday things, are pure masterpieces of the psychology of the human condition. His sculpture is about us – all of us, when no one is paying attention and no one is looking.”

An evening invitation-only program has also been planned; Rena Segal and Dr. Donald Lokuta will join George Segal Gallery Director Teresa Rodriguez, for a curated conversation.

More information about George Segal Day is available at Segal Gallery.