Ingrid Lilligren
(American, b. 1949)
Babe’s Turn, 2002
Cor-ten steel, aluminum, cast bronze, enamel paint
60 x 46 x 46 inches
Babe Voertman Memorial Fund
Located: North side of Bucksbaum Center for the Arts
Ingrid Lilligren’s sculpture Babe’s Turn acts as a memorial to B.G. “Babe” Voertman ’67, assistant professor emerita of theatre at Grinnell College. Voertman, a dancer and thespian, committed much of her life to enriching Grinnell’s arts community until her death in 1999. At Grinnell College, she was not only a dance instructor, but also a choreographer, director and actor. In addition, she often worked with Grinnell Community Theater, acting and directing. Voertman requested that Milton Severe, director of exhibition design for Faulconer Gallery [now Grinnell College Museum of Art] and a close friend, commission a sculpture with funds given in her honor. And so, even after her death, Voertman and her memory continue to inspire art at Grinnell. With its warm colors and whimsical shapes, Babe’s Turn stands as a bright reminder of Voertman’s commitment to art, as well as a memorial to the bright presence she offered to those who knew her.
Severe’s decision to commission Lilligren for the work involved several factors, combining personal and artistic considerations. “I chose [Lilligren],” he said, “because she’s a woman and Babe was a staunch feminist, and because her work is very playful.” Though Lilligren did not know Voertman personally, stories, anecdotes, and photos were provided to the artist by friends of Voertman. Lilligren also toured Voertman’s home. Through these experiences, in Severe’s estimation, “[Lilligren] had a pretty good visual idea of Babe’s tastes” that allowed her to create an appropriate memorial. In addition, Lilligren was guided by one of Voertman’s two specifications: that the sculpture should be of a dancer. Though abstract in form, Lilligren’s sculpture suggests a dancer’s movement, balance, and grace.
Babe’s Turn plants itself beside the Bucksbaum Center for the Arts, fulfilling Voertman’s other requirement — that the sculpture should be placed near the dance studio. The base of the sculpture is a sheet of rust-red steel, sharply angled to suggest two legs. Constructed from a sturdy material, the base suggests the strength and balance of a dancer. Organic cut-outs in the legs effectively lighten the piece, adding curves and swoops to instill a sense of careful grace. The upper section of the sculpture consists of several curving aluminum sections attached to a central spoke. These petal-like pieces, painted with marigold and orange geometric designs, slowly rotate in the wind. A clever manifestation of the title, this section of Babe’s Turn perpetually pirouettes. A bronze squiggle tops the piece, continuing the turn ever-upward. In fitting and sweet memorial, Babe’s Turn echoes several of Voertman’s passions — it works to represent dance while also continuing to enliven the Grinnell area arts experience.
About the Artist
Sculptor Ingrid Lilligren earned a B.F.A. from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (1980) and an M.F.A. from the Claremont Graduate School (1986). Hired at Iowa State University (Ames) in 1993, she is currently an associate professor of art and design. Lilligren’s work focuses on “organic, biomorphic forms” (artist statement) that tend to explore notions of femininity within their shapes. Her work won a research grant from Iowa State University, and she was also chosen to sculpt several murals for the school.
By: Christine Hancock ’06