The Legacy of the Contemporary Cast Iron Art Movement
and the Academic Foundry in Minnesota.
The IRON50 project was undertaken to commemorate and exhibit the significant contribution of artists like Anthony Caponi, Wayne E. Portratz and Tamsie Ringler towards establishing the importance of the academic foundry for the Minnesota arts community and the international contemporary cast iron art movement.
IRON50: 50 Years of Iron Casting at the University of Minnesota
In spring 2019, the Department of Art celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the University of Minnesota Annual Iron Pour. Founded by Professor Emeritus Wayne E. Potratz in 1970, the University of Minnesota iron pour was the longest running academic iron pour since the introduction of cast iron as a medium for contemporary sculpture in the early 1960s. In recognition of this important academic, cultural and historic event, the 50th Annual University of Minnesota Iron Pour celebrated the legacy and the future of iron casting as a medium for sculptural expression.
Artists and works on display at Caponi Art Park
Hephaestus Throne
James L. Hayes, Principal Lecturer in Sculpture,
CIT Crawford College of Art, Cork, Ireland
Unicorn
Michal Staszczak, Professor of Sculpture,
Academy of Art and Design, Wroclaw, Poland
Make Believe
Rian Kerrane, Professor of Sculpture,
University of Colorado Denver
Hull-Rust-Mahoning Table
Tamsie Ringler, Foundry artist and Lecturer,
University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Last Turtlewain
Wayne E. Potratz, Professor Emeritus,
University of Minnesota
The IRON50 Collection is possible through the generous support of Nor Hall, Roger Hale and the Starseed Foundation.
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