November 08, 2011
Avera McKennan Dedicates Sculpture, ‘Song of Creation,’ to Commemorate its Centennial
SIOUX FALLS (Nov. 7, 2011) – “Song of Creation,” a 31-foot high metal sculpture, was dedicated Monday, Nov. 7, at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Center to commemorate Avera McKennan’s centennial year.
The commissioned sculpture, “Song of Creation,” was designed and created by noted South Dakota sculptor Dale Lamphere of Sturgis. The sculpture, constructed entirely of stainless steel, is located on the lawn just north of the Prairie Center, in a beautifully landscaped area where patients, staff and visitors can observe this original and unique work of art.
Numerous donors who support the arts at Avera McKennan through the Avera McKennan Foundation have covered the entire cost of this commissioned sculpture.
“Avera McKennan has long recognized the important role the arts play in healing the whole person – body, mind and spirit. And, celebrating a centennial is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We thought it was only fitting to commission a special sculpture that commemorates our centennial, and serves as an icon of all that Avera McKennan has been, is, and will be in the future,” said Dr. David Kapaska, regional president and CEO of Avera McKennan. “We thank our many donors who join in this commitment, making it possible to share this and other expressions of the arts with our community.”
The sculpture’s design includes elements of spirituality, Avera McKennan’s roots and heritage through the Presentation and Benedictine Sisters, and the advancing science of medicine and technology.
In his 41-year career as a sculptor, Lamphere has created 70 major works. He has created commissioned sculptures for the City of Burbank, Calif.; the City of Edmond, Okla.; St. Francis Medical Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.; Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs, Calif.; and more.
Lamphere said the sculpture includes the Benedictine cross, and six major elements that honor the Presentation heritage. “Woven into it is a double helix form, which speaks of science and DNA. Through its spiritual elements, the piece points toward the ultimate source of life. A melodic, lyrical line flows through the piece, as it does our lives.”
Even though it is a contemporary piece, there is a classic richness to the sculpture that will stand the test of time, Lamphere said. “I see this sculpture as a song – a hymn of thanksgiving and an offering up of concerns. There is a whispered prayer in every moment and movement of the piece, and I’m hopeful that it opens hearts and minds to the infinite.”
McKennan Hospital was dedicated on Dec. 17, 1911. A highlight of the yearlong observance of the centennial is the “Gala for a Century” on 11-11-11. Tickets are available online. To learn more, go to www.Avera.org/gala. To learn more about Avera McKennan’s history and centennial observance, go to www.AveraMcKennan.org.
