The Daily Northwestern

There’s a new resident at the corner of Emerson Street and Ridge Avenue, and her arrival is getting mixed reviews.

“Penelope,” a plexiglass and steel sculpture, is affixed to a concrete slab garnished with nothing but a plaque and a single spotlight. Her neighbors are a “fresh oil” sign and a noisy bridge, she sees significantly more vehicle traffic than foot traffic.

Even the people involved in the sculpture’s placement say this is an obscure location for a piece of art.

“The city could have done a better job of placing the statue,” said Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th).

Placing the statue wasn’t supposed to be an issue. Bernstein said the original plan was the creation of a front piece for the parking garage on Maple Street. Artist Lincoln Schatz signed a contract with the city of Evanston and was given $50,000 up front. When he was unable to finish the sculpture, Schatz and the city sued each other for falling back on the deal.

“Time went by and we still didn’t have anything,” Bernstein said. “He said the city contributed to the delay, which we may have, but what ultimately ended up happening was that he came to us and said, “I can’t do it. It’s too heavy.”

“Penelope,” a sculpture that Schatz had finished in 1998, ended up settling the dispute. However, she wasn’t especially popular with the city council. Asking Bernstein about the piece elicits an exasperated and unappreciative chuckle, though he was quick to point out his lack of aesthetic sense.

“We had wanted a choice of other pieces, and we ended up with “Penelope,” Bernstein said. “But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My problem with it is that it’s not what we bargained for, and I’m not happy with the way the artist treated the city or with the way the city treated the artist.”

Schatz agreed that reaching a compromise was a long, grueling process.

“Working with the City of Evanston was a challenge,” Schatz said. “The arts council was wonderful, but it became difficult with the city because you’re dealing with a large bureaucracy to complete a commission.”

Despite the conflicted reactions, “Penelope” was installed June 14 and dedicated August 16. Schatz says he’s happiest about the public response and the fact that it’s being given a new start. He sees no problem with the placement of the work.

“It’s evidencing a commitment to visual arts, and it’s well-loved,” Schatz said.

Yousuf Bazban, a 39-year-old business owner who works in the shopping center across from “Penelope,” said he thought the statue was “Pretty good.”

Evanston resident Meredith Maltese had barely noticed the piece.

“It kind of appeared out of nowhere, didn’t it?” the 23-year-old analyst said. “It’s okay, I guess. But it’s in kind of a random spot.”

Bernstein said the ordeal surrounding “Penelope” will give her historical value.

“It’s an interesting story,” Bernstein said. “Maybe it will become a town legend, like the Picasso or something.”

Reach Kristyn Schiavone at [email protected].