Creating the Centerpiece Statues
During the spring of 2002, Shaheen worked in the studio of
local artist Giorgio Atzori, where he created two, larger than
life-size models in plastiline—a non-drying, oil-based clay.
Atzori cast the pieces in plaster, a more durable material, and
they were mounted on wooden platforms so that they could be
transported and used outdoors.
On May 11, 2002, Stephen Shaheen and hundreds of local community
members watched as surviving family members ceremoniously
removed the first chunks of stone from the marble blocks.
View of the newly delivered
marble blocks
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Brad Smith, who lost his
father Karl, removes the first bits
of stone from the blocks
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A young boy carves onto the blocks |
Joanne Betterly removes stone in
honor of her husband. |
From the beginning of June until late July, Shaheen and two
master Tuscan stone carvers — Marcello Sennati and Ampelio
Rinaldi, (his teachers from Italy) —realized the marble
sculptures using the models Shaheen had created, which were
in-scale to exactly ˝ size. Thousands of passerby’s had the
opportunity to witness the sculpting in action, and some even
had the chance to try their hand at it. On Monday, July 22, the
four blocks were mounted, and finishing work was done in the
following days.
Continue to Engraving
the Victim's Names »
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