August 13, 2002
Dinosaurs
Will Make Pittsburgh a DinoMite Destination
Adorned Fiberglass Dinos to "Saur" on Streets
and Other Locations
PITTSBURGH,
PA — No city has ever "triceratopped" this.
Pittsburgh will become Dinoburgh next May when at least 100
decorated fiberglass dinosaurs turn streets, plazas and other
locations into Jurassic parks for prehistoric public art.
The "extinctive"
outdoor exhibit, dubbed DinoMite DaysSM, was officially announced
today by Carnegie Museum of Natural History at a news conference
where the first members of Pittsburgh's future "dinosty,"
a Tyrannosaurus rex and Torosaurus, were unveiled.
A yet-to-be revealed Stegosaurus will complete Pittsburgh's
dinosaur family. Carnegie Museum of Natural History is coordinating
DinoMite DaysSM with major funding from the Laurel Foundation
of Pittsburgh.
DinoMite
DaysSM will meld individual artistry with dinosaur replicas
that are as scientifically accurate as possible. Made of fiberglass
produced by PPG Industries Inc., the approximately 200-pound
dinosaurs will be designed and manufactured by Research Casting
International of Beamsville, Ontario, Canada and adorned or
decorated by regional artists. The three types of dinosaurs
will be featured in the spring/summer exhibit, which is free
to the public and expected to generate "dinotourism"
for the region, officials said today.
"This
unique exhibit will be a DinoMite attraction for anyone who
loves natural history, dinosaurs or art," said Dr. Bill
DeWalt, director of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. "People
will enjoy a 'dinoramic' view of Pittsburgh that enhances
the awareness of our museum's leading role in research, education
and the discovery, preservation and display of dinosaur fossils
and skeletons."
Tinsy
Lipchak, executive director of cultural tourism for the Greater
Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau, said: "DinoMite
Days will be a fun way to explore the world of dinosaurs and
discover the region's vitality in science, education and the
arts. Whether you drive in for the dinosaurs, shuttle to the
Stegosaurus, or take the 'T' to the T.rex, you'll
find that Pittsburgh invites residents and visitors alike
to experience a world of knowledge and culture."
Dinosaur
Dimensions
Each T.rex will be 7 feet tall and 10 feet long;
the Torosaurus will measure 4 feet 7 inches high by
10 feet; and the Stegosaurus will be 5 feet .75 inches
by 9 feet 5 inches. Research Casting International created
the Diplodocus statute that stands outside Carnegie
Museum of Natural History, as well as dinosaur replicas for
the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and
the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa.
First
Artist Meets T.rex
At the news conference today, the first artist, Patricia
Bellan-Gillen of Burgettstown, got an up close and personal
look at the T.rex that she will paint at her studio.
The inaugural T.rex will be displayed at Carnegie Museum
of Natural History.
"I
have worked with T.rex motifs in the past and I am
looking forward to my first brush with a three-dimensional
dinosaur," said Bellan-Gillen. "This exhibit will
put the world's timeless fascination with dinosaurs in a new
and colorful light, and give artists a platform to show the
fun side of their nature."
Call
for DinoMite Artists
Susie Perelman, co-chairperson of DinoMite DaysSM, announced
today that artists are needed to give each dinosaur a colorful,
one-of-a-kind look.
"DinoMite
DaysSM is an incredible opportunity for artists to showcase
their talent and challenge themselves artistically,"
said Perelman. "A public art display of this magnitude
is as rare as the dinosaurs themselves, and we expect thousands
of young and old alike to make 'tracks' to our region to see
these vibrant prehistoric creatures."
Artists
wishing to participate in DinoMite DaysSM can access application
forms and guidelines at www.dinomitedays.org. Additional forms
can be found at local art galleries, cultural organizations
and coffee shops throughout Pittsburgh. The application deadline
is September 15, 2002.
An art
jury comprised of representatives from Pittsburgh art organizations
will review and select the artists, who will have four to
six weeks to complete their dinosaurs. Each will receive a
$2,500 honorarium.
Seeking
"Sponsaurs"
In addition to raising awareness of Carnegie Museum of
Natural History's dinosaur collection, one of the goals of
DinoMite DaysSM is to raise funds for regional nonprofit organizations.
Donna
Panazzi, vice president of the Laurel Foundation, said, "This
exhibition is a wonderful opportunity for businesses and individuals
to come together to support the many organizations that have
a tremendous impact on our region. We believe DinoMite DaysSM
will unite our region like never before."
Organizers
said today that they're seeking sponsaurs to fund the dinosaurs.
The dinosaurs will then be sold to the highest bidder at a
fund-raising gala auction on October 18, 2003.
"Through
the generous support of the Laurel Foundation and sponsaurs,
the exhibit and auction will raise funds for nonprofit organizations
that ensure that knowledge, art and science never become extinct,"
said Ted Hermann, director of marketing for Carnegie Museum
of Natural History.
The sponsaur
of each dinosaur will select a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
to receive half of the proceeds from the auctioned dinosaur.
The other half of the proceeds will benefit programming related
to the renovation and expansion of Carnegie Museum of Natural
History's dinosaur exhibits.
Each dinosaur
will feature a plaque with the names of the sponsaur and artist.
To become a DinoMite DaysSM sponsaur, contact Hermann at (412)
622-3328 or via e-mail at hermannt@carnegiemuseums.org.
Dino
Locations
The Pittsburgh Art Commission, which has approved the
public art project, will work with the museum and the city
of Pittsburgh to select public sites across metropolitan Pittsburgh
for the DinoMite DaysSM dinosaurs. The locations
will be announced in late 2002 and a "DinoMap" will
be prepared for the exhibit, which will open in late May and
conclude in late September 2003.
DeWalt
concluded, "One of the world's favorite movies about
dinosaurs is called 'The Land That Time Forgot.' We think
people are going to have a tough time forgetting Pittsburgh
as a result of this DinoMite public art exhibit."
About
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Founded in 1895, Carnegie Museum of Natural History ranks
among the six largest natural history museums in the United
States, with more than 20 million specimens, objects and artifacts.
The museum is the world's third-largest repository of dinosaur
fossils and contains one of the world's greatest collections
of publicly displayed dinosaur skeletons, as well as one of
the foremost collections of gems and minerals. The museum
is a distinguished research institution and a dynamic, family-friendly
destination.
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