Terry Karpowicz

Tattooed, 2004
Terry Karpowicz
Granite, Steel, Stainless Steel, Bronze
10'h x 30"w x 40"d
Located by Plank Gym
Loan from October 2004 - October 2007

Tattooed

Repeatedly, individuals and societies try to resolve problems, sometimes by discussion sometimes by ballot, and sometimes by bullet. 

Tattooed was designed specifically for Gettysburg College, sitting as it does in the homeland of an historic battle of a dispute that still in some aspects continues to echo and involve the world to this day.  In a center of higher education it is vital that we learn ways to handle disputes-between family members, between neighbors and regions and especially between countries and cultures.

An unwillingness to resolve differences of our views and values through discussion and or the ballot box has left us with the Civil War, World Wars, military conflicts, and at the present time finds the world engaged in a War on Terrorism.  Tattooed represents the struggles we must peacefully engage as we attempt to come to terms with differences.... our goals, values, and hopes for the future.

The three tiered steel base represents elements upon which we must build a society-- faith, respect, consideration:  Faith that we will achieve a world where one group does not try to dominate another but live in harmony with another; respect for varying views so we can work on solutions of differences; and consideration built on our common human needs.  Its weathered finish is indicative of the hard work it takes to hold firm to the three elements and the time required to meet their daunting challenge.

The soaring unpolished granite with its ever rising jagged architectural edges reminds us of the mountainous struggle we have to constantly strive to understand, to work together, so that all can come to an agreement to share this planet and its resources respectfully, considerately, and fairly. The bronze butterfly inserts represent the successes from such struggles.

The polished portion of the granite represents our collected vision of the necessity to and desirability of achieving these goals while the polished stainless steel solid spire is our coalescing around and ever striving for attainment of these goals. 

The red is the blood that has been spilled in this effort, an everlasting tattoo on our society, while the numbers on the granite represent the dehumanization, the lack of respect and consideration, which has occurred in the process.  By reducing people to numbers, as was done in World War II to the point of numbering our fellow human beings, we can not achieve a world where we all have a right to live peacefully, care for our families, and contribute our talents to the betterment of those sharing our planet now and of those to come.

Tattooed embodies the struggles of our past and also the hope of achievement for our future which in large part rests on the youth of today.

Terrence Karpowicz
1219 West Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: (312)733-6090
Fax: (312)733-6091
Email: tkarpowicz@aol.com
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