Adam and Eve ready for repair

Eve gazed onward, surveying the tangled debris of fallen leaves and toppled trees.
But for the first time in more than 40 years, Adam did not look back.

When storms destroyed nearly 300 trees on campus last May, Adam, of “The Space Between” sculpture located behind Kirkwood Hall, was left with a cracked head and bent sculpture base after he was struck by a falling tree.

The sculpture was created in 1963 by former IU Professor of Fine Arts Jean Paul Darriau.

Another one of his best known works in Bloomington is the “Red, Blond, Black and Olive” sculpture that occupies Miller-Showers Park between College Avenue and Walnut Street.  

Removed soon after the storm, Adam was stored in the IU Art Museum for the summer and fall as Curator of Campus Art Sherry Rouse searched for the best place to send him for repairs.     

“The bronze was actually rolled up where the tree had forced him forward,” Rouse said.  
About seven months later, on Jan. 6, both Adam and Eve were moved to Venus Bronze Works Inc. in Detroit, Mich.

They will spend the winter there being repaired by owner Giorgio Gikas.

While Eve remained outside during the fall semester, she was removed to join Adam in the restoration process.  

The repairs are expected to take the rest of the winter to complete and will cost approximately $14,000.

While in Michigan, Adam’s skull will be fixed.

Depending on how severe the damages are, the company will either patch up the damaged bronze or loosen the metal to repair the crack, Rouse said.

The base that Adam stood on will need to be re-flattened, and both sculptures will be cleaned and repatinated.  

“They will try to be the least invasive to not cause any more trouble,” Rouse said. “They want to use existing material as much as possible.”