Roger Halligan: www.rogerhalligan.com
Artist Bio: Roger Halligan served as an exhibit designer at the NC Zoo beginning in 1977, where his design team developed award winning habitats for a variety of animals and was awarded the State of North Carolina Governor’s Award for Excellence for their work in the design and construction of the Sonora Desert Habitats. He holds an MFA in Fine arts from University of Georgia and displays his work in many public and private collections. He currently owns and operates his studio, Chenoweth Halligan Studios, in Lake City, SC.
Jule Smith Collins Museum at Auburn University
Witherspoon Museum, Greensboro, NC
The Maitland Museum in Maitland, Fl
William King Museum Abington, Va
North Carolina Center for the Advancement of teaching, Cullowhee, NC
Triad regional Farmers Market in Colfax, NC
UNC- Asheville Kellogg Center in Hendersonville, NC
Rock City Lookout Mountain, Ga
Edwin Hotel Chattanooga, Tn
Stone that Stands in an Empty Sky (1997) Roger P. Halligan Steel and Concrete Made possible through the NC Zoo’s Visiting Artist Program
This sculpture incorporates concepts and directions in art that date back to pre-history. The first permanent site specific was more than likely the act of selecting a large stone and then standing it upright. It designated place, and symbolized humans first real impact on the environment. These stones acquired names and became imbued in myth and story. The standing stone is a monument to the flocks of thousands of Carolina parakeets that once swooped throughout North Carolina in the spring and festooned the treetops with vibrant color. It is a memorial to a now extinct species. Mixed with the traditional concepts of ancient oral storytelling, the story of these now extinct birds lives on in this exhibit, as well as its story by Marianne Aitken.
Courtesy of:
Artist photo and info: www.scnow.com and www.rogerhalligan.com
Zoo and animal photos and info: The North Carolina Zoo, Tamara Hill
