Thanks to the Kohler Foundation, Nicholls and its art department, a valuable artistic find will be preserved. Two years ago, Dennis Sipiorski, head of the art department, saw a sculpture garden in Chauvin for the first time.
The work was created by a local bricklayer named Kenneth Hill, an enigmatic man who sculpted about a 100 life-sized figures from cement in a 12-year period.
The symbolism and imagery in the work relates to the Bible and spirituality, such as angels with swords and esoteric signs on the ground that follow a pathway. The work is also of a personal nature, with the artist incorporating himself into several of the pieces.
This artistic treasure was almost in danger of being lost when Hill could no longer pay his bills and was evicted. He eventually left the property, and no one is aware of his current whereabouts.
This is when Sipiorski stepped in with his primary goal to preserve the garden.
“What I did first was find a source to buy the property and try to preserve the garden, because the family didn’t know what to do, and the original owners were in their 80s. The kids in the family were just trying to get rid of this property, so I found a foundation in Wisconsin connected to the Kohler Company called the Kohler Foundation,” Sipiorski said.
“The Kohler Company, which specializes in plumbing, is an international corporation worth about $3 billion, and it happens that one of the family members is into folk art,” he said.
Hill’s work can be labeled folk, outsider or naive art. Generally, this type of work is done by untrained artists, who are inspired by deeply personal visions. Folk art has a big following in the art world, with countless galleries and publications dedicated to the subject.
“They go in and restore the work if the artist is no longer alive, and then turn over the area to a local art based group that can oversee it from then on. Kohler isn’t interested in owning, but in preserving the work,” Sipiorski said.
“When they came down to Chauvin, we were really excited, because they’re used to dealing with folk art sites all over the world, and the one in Chauvin is great compared to any in the states or even in Europe,” he said.
After seeing the site, the Kohler Foundation agreed to work with Nicholls, and University President Dr. Donald Ayo agreed that the site was worth preserving.
The project is now in its second year, and numerous experts in the art field are involved.
Currently, Sipiorski meets with a local architect, Marcel Fornet, who will oversee the restoration of the site. Also involved is Glen Harrington, an art restorer from New Orleans hired by the Kohler Foundation.
The restoration will involve sealing cracks in the work and placing together the broken pieces.
The entire property, about 13 acres owned by Nicholls, has been cleaned and will soon be fenced.
Kohler also plans to construct a small visiting center across from the garden, which will display things owned and left behind by Hill, as well as possibly holding small exhibitions of local art and classes for children and adults.
Sipiorski said the site will probably attract a fair share of tourism to Terrebone Parish from people interested in this kind of art.
“It is a credit to Nicholls, Dr. Ayo and Kohler Foundation for seeing the vision of this artist and preserving his work,” Sipiorski said.
