FINE ARTS

Breaking a world record for a great cause

By Kate Luce

Throughout the course of summer 2019, The IU South Bend Fine Arts Club built what they hope will be the world’s largest freestanding paper mache sculpture, which they hope will break the Guinness World Record. The club celebrated its completion by showing off the sculpture with a food drive directly benefiting the Food Bank of Northern Indiana and Titans Feeding Titans on September 19.

“When I was approached with the opportunity [to make the world’s largest paper mache sculpture], there wasn’t a choice to make. When I first arrived at IU South Bend, I asked myself, ‘why make art’ Why spend hours practicing, studying, and exploring works from the past? There is no guarantee of a career, of appreciation, or even having your work seen by the public. So why did I choose to devote my life to the uncertain? Art had inspired me, and I wished to do the same by creating art that could make a difference. So, when an opportunity came along to use art to make a huge difference in our community, I was all in,” Kolt Sizer, club president, says.

The giving tree sculpture, as it was named, stood outside of Wiekamp Hall patio during the duration of the food drive, shocking and intriguing students and faculty who walked by. was a way to positively impact the city of South Bend,” Julia Kanestrom, vice president of the Fine Arts Club, says.

It all started with a partnership through Martin’s Supermarkets, who reached out to IU South Bend. They had seven pallets of misprinted customer comment cards. Martin’s asked the Fine Arts Club to create the world’s largest paper mache sculpture. In return, Martin’s would donate $25,000 to the Northern Indiana Food Bank.

The club agreed to this challenge and began working on the project starting in spring 2019. At first, they worked in the Campus Auditorium for a span of a month. They mostly built the raw materials during this time. By August, the club had finished the trunk, most of the roots, the branches, and the leaves.

“Our process was slow at first, but we became more efficient because we knew what we were doing. The longer we worked on it, the more we knew what worked and what did not. It was all trial and error. If something didn’t work, we found a different way to do it,” Morgan Koenig, club member, explains.

“The process was a lot of hard work. Our art community on campus worked all summer and into the fall semester. The tree had several “blueprints”, we had multiple plans,

but in the end the finished product was a collection of everyone’s ideas. Looking back on the endeavor I’m proud of everyone who took part and am amazed at what we accomplished,” Sizer says.

When completed, the tree did not contain any inner structure that was not paper mache, since that would have gone against the Guinness Book of World Records rules. Thick layers of paper and wheat paste glue held everything together. With five months of work behind the club, it surely paid off.

“I think this project showcased our creative ability and willingness to establish ourselves both on and off campus,” Kanestrom says.

“We were able to draw together a variety of community players. Martin’s as the starting catalyst to make it happen, and then the club was able to bring in Titans Feeding Titans, all of the club’s work with PR, and the Food Bank of Northern Indiana came in as players. Largely, I think the success was due to the fact that we were able to generate a large donation for hunger” Bill Tourtillotte, club advisor and lecturer in fine arts, says.

At first, the club was just going to display the paper mache tree, but instead, Sizer decided it would only be fitting to host a food drive as well. All non-perishable donations went to Titans Feeding Titans. A set of 15 silkscreen prints also sold, and all those proceeds went to Titans Feeding Titans as well.

The sculpture surpassed the previous record holder of the largest freestanding paper mache sculpture by two feet in some areas. When measured, it stood at 13.5’ x 16’ x 18’. Since the event, the Fine Arts Club has submitted their application, and sent their measurements to the Guinness Book of World Records, in hopes of becoming the new record holder.

The display garnered talk all around town, all the way to previous Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s desk, who contacted the club recognizing their accomplishment and kind gesture for the community.

The Fine Arts Club hopes to continue to host a food drive every year in September in honor of this event. While they do not plan to continue breaking world records, they hope to spread hunger awareness throughout the campus.