This is the Canine Crusader, a superhero created by artist Dave Pryor, one of eight that are on display in Wilder Park through Monday, July 31. If you haven’t seen it, this weekend will be the last chance, although the Elmhurst Art Museum’s current exhibition Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross, will remain through Sunday, Aug. 20.
In tandem with its Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross exhibition, the Elmhurst Art Museum commissioned the outdoor public art installation Superheroes in Wilder Park that opened Saturday, May 6 in Wilder Park. If you haven’t seen it, make plans now because the exhibition will only remain on display through Monday, July 31.
The Superheroes public exhibit features eight life-sized sculptures made by eight individuals and four community groups led by practiced teaching artists.
Robert Apolinar and four Elmhurst University students worked on one of the pieces, which proved interesting since Apolinar is a toy designer and in fact, has designed several “Joyful Dinner” toys for that hamburger restaurant with the clown mascot.
Elmhurst artist and instructor John Nester helped a group of Glenbard North students to create the superheroes “Nike the Defender” and “Guardian, the winged Goddess.” The students wanted to share the fact that the winged Goddess appears on all medals awarded to high school students by the state of Illinois.
Vanessa Garza of Studio Nez constructed “Fruit and Stars, Superhero Cereals,” while Dave Pryor presented “The Canine Crusader.” Esmeralda Bolivar and the Elmhurst Pride Collective created the superhero, “Iridescent.”
Rafael Blanco, a native of Spain who worked on the Elmhurst public mural on the north side of the University’s athletic building where it is visible from the train, displayed “Captain Elmhurst,” which he calls “a humorous response to his own American assimilation.”
Although the outdoor exhibit ends after the weekend, the Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross exhibition will remain at the Elmhurst Art Museum through Sunday, Aug. 20. For more information, visit elmhurstartmuseum.org.
