Troy Neiman Honors Agnese Nelms Haury Through Art

Apr 24, 2017 | Arts Foundation Programs

Artist Troy Neiman, Photo courtesy of The Arts Foundation

The University of Arizona’s Agnese Nelms Haury Program in Environment and Social Justice will be hosting an artwork dedication in tribute to Mrs. Agnese Nelms Haury, a well-known University of Arizona supporter and life-long advocate for social justice.

The artwork, titled “Coalescence,” was designed and created by local artist Troy Neiman through funding from the Haury Foundation and partnership between the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona and the University of Arizona. This project was the first major private-sector art project for The Arts Foundation and the first of three major public and private-sector art projects for Neiman.

Neiman said his artwork honors Haury’s legacy and is symbolic of the “ripple effect” she created through her work dedicated to the environment, science, social justice, international cooperation, and Southwest peoples and cultures: “The ripple became the perfect form to embody the values of Mrs. Haury, the goals of the project, and the fit into the architecture of the building at ENR2. The final concept was that of two drops, two impact points on a surface. As disclosed by close friends, Mrs. Haury was not interested in much public attention but was much more focused on highlighting others’ accomplishments and helping them pursue their goals. And the nature of waves is that when two waves come together to create a bigger wave. The title ‘Coalescence’ is conducive to the idea of coming together.”

Photo courtesy of Troy Neiman

Photo courtesy of Troy Neiman

Photo courtesy of Troy Neiman

Photo courtesy of Troy Neiman

The actual piece Neiman created contains 52 individual aluminum fins, which make up the rippled surface. He cut each aluminum fin with a water jet.

Neiman was chosen for this project through The Arts Foundation’s Public Artist Roster, a process used in the selection of artists for public art awards of less than $50,000, and selected by a panel made up of U of A faculty and students, a personal friend of Mrs. Haury and a local artist.

“The affects of Mrs. Haury’s impact are what I wanted to bring to attention to the viewer so the actual impact point is not visible in the piece but the ripples of her work and philanthropy are visible and will be seen for years to come.”

The event will take place Tuesday, April 25, 2017, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., in the Haury Lecture Hall Room S107, Environment and Natural Resources 2 building, University of Arizona, 1064 E. Lowell Street, Tucson, Arizona.

For more information on this project, please visit the University of Arizona website.
(Top photo courtesy of The Arts Foundation, two middle photos courtesy of Troy Neiman).

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