Tulsa is becoming known for its extraordinary
outdoor sculpture. On November
14, 2007 the most historically significant and
acclaimed outdoor sculpture installation
in Tulsa was unveiled to the community.
The Five Moons honor
our Native Americans heritage.
A group of five larger-than-life-size bronze
statues entitled “The Five
Moons” were installed in the newly developed Vintage Garden
at the Tulsa
Historical Society. The Five Moons depict
Oklahoma’s five internationally
acclaimed Native American ballerinas: Yvonne
Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, Moscelyne Larkin, Maria Tallchief, and Marjorie
Tallchief. When these five
dancers began their careers, Europeans dominated
ballet. Their talent, dedication
and determination took them to the top of
their field and brought international
recognition to Oklahoma and to the fact that
each ballerina was Native
American. Each ballerina is depicted in the
ballet she considered to be her
signature piece.
The Northeast Oklahoma artist
creating the five bronze statues is Gary
Henson, a Native American himself. Henson
is already well known as the
point-up artist for “The Great Spirit” sculpture which
is located on the southeast
corner of 21st and Peoria in Woodward Park.
With the installation of The
Five Moons on the northeast corner of 25th
and Peoria, Henson's work will
mark both the north and south perimeters
of Woodward Park. Henson is a second
generation sculptor and artist. His mother
is the acclaimed painter and
sculptor Inez Running Rabbit.
Unveiling: Ballet's 'Five
Moons' are aligned
By JAMES D. WATTS JR. World Scene Writer
Reprinted from Tulsa World
Come Wednesday night, a total of six
moons will be visible in the vicinity of
25th Street and Peoria Avenue.
One will be the familiar orb that rules the
night (and which will be approaching its
first quarter phase on that evening).
The other five will be stars from a
different firmament — that of the world of
ballet.
The Tulsa Historical Society in
collaboration with Tulsa Ballet will
officially unveil “The Five Moons,” a
quintet of larger-than-life-size sculptures
depicting Oklahoma’s five American Indian
ballerinas, in a ceremony beginning at 6
p.m. Wednesday on the west lawn of the THS
headquarters, 2445 S. Peoria Ave.
The sculptures depict Maria Tallchief,
Marjorie Tallchief, Rosella Hightower,
Yvonne Chouteau and Moscelyne Larkin in the
costume and pose of one of their signature
roles.
Sharon Terry, executive director of the
Tulsa Historical Society, said, “These women
made such an extraordinary impact on
history.
It’s been said many times before, but it’s
still just as true — the world of ballet was
exclusively European until these five Indian
women, all from small Oklahoma towns, came
along. They truly made a place for Americans
in the world of ballet.”
Terry said invitations have gone out to the
five women being honored.
“Miss Chouteau has told us she intends to be
here for the unveiling,” Terry said.
The title for the sculptures comes from “The
Four Moons,” a ballet that was created for
the Oklahoma Indian Ballerina Festival in
1967. This ballet, set to music by the
Oklahoma native Louis Ballard, was made for
four solos that evoked each dancer’s tribal
heritage — Osage for the Tallchief sisters,
Shawnee for Larkin, Cherokee for Chouteau
and Choctaw for Hightower.
It’s taken 12 years, two artists and some
$350,000 to realize “The Five Moons.”
The project began in 1995, when Tulsa artist
Monte England first envisioned a tribute in
bronze to Oklahoma’s Indian ballerinas —
some four years after a stylized mural of
the five by Mike Larsen was installed in the
State Capitol in Oklahoma City.
England began working on the sculptures
under the sponsorship of the Tulsa Ballet
and the Tulsa Historical Society. Each step
of the process was monitored, so that every
detail — from the position of a finger to
the drape of a dress — was exact.
In 2005, however, England died, having
completed only two of the full-sized
sculptures.
“I had known Monte since childhood, and had
helped him over the years with other
projects,” said artist Gary Henson. “So it
seemed quite obvious that I should step in.”
Henson (pictured above) finished off the
sculptures that were in the works, then set
about creating the remaining three “from
scratch,” he said.
“I completed the first two as Monte would
have,” he said. “But Monte’s style is quite
different from mine, and fortunately the
people with the ballet and historical
society didn’t insist that the others be
done in exactly the same style. So the other
three are completely mine.”
Henson said he appreciated the chance to
complete “The Five Moons,” as it gave him,
“an opportunity to express my own
appreciation for ballet. It’s a way of
looking at the human condition.
Here are these five American Indian women
who are able to do amazing things — to move
in ways that most of us can only dream about
— and who were able to succeed once they got
their chance.”
When asked if Henson was going to miss
having these “ladies” around his studio
outside of Chelsea, he laughed.
“Oh, it’s not over for me at all,” he said.
“I’ve still got four more desktop-sized
sculptures to do, and there’s talk about
creating a slightly larger version. I’m glad
to have completed this part of the project,
but I’ll be working on ballerinas for a
while yet.”
On the plush lawns in front of the Tulsa Historical Society
and in an artist's studio in Chelsea, a grand dance is
taking shape. The Five Moons -- a set of bronze statues
honoring five American Indian ballerinas from Oklahoma
-- is about to go on stage. Ground work on the project
is under way in front of our headquarters.
Meanwhile, in the studios of Rogers County artist Gary
Henson, two of the statues have been completed. Three
more are in the works. When finished--installation is
planned for November--the statues will depict ballerinas
Yvonne Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, Moscelyne Larkin Jasinski,
Maria Tallchief and Marjorie Tallchief. In February, Peggy
and Charles Stephenson donated almost $600,000 for the
west lawn renovations and the Five Moons project. "I
love beauty and the beauty of gardens," Peggy Stephenson
said.
Cheryl Forrest, Tulsa Ballet Theater president emeritus,
said the ballerinas represent an amazing cultural accomplishment
for the state. "The five Indian ballerinas were so important
to the history of ballet," she said. Forrest said the name
Five Moons comes from the 1967 ballet "The Four Moons,"
a production written specifically for the American Indian ballerinas.
The Five Moons project piqued Peggy Stephenson's
interest when she attended a Tulsa Historical Society board meeting
where the idea was pitched. "I went home and talked to Charlie
about it. It was one of those things we really wanted to do,"
she said. Charles Stephenson said his desire to fund the project
came from his family's history with American Indian tribes. "My
ancestors were missionaries on the Trail of Tears," he said.
"This was a way to recognize not only the accomplishments
of these ladies, but our history with (American Indians)."
Clayton Vaughn, past historical society executive
director, said the rest of the lawn improvements came about because
of the sculpture project. "We had to do something with the
lawn; we had to make it work with the Five Moons project, but
we wanted to maintain the view from Peoria," Vaughn said.
"It's a great location with thousands of cars going by every
day." The lawn will have landscaping, a walking trail and
architectural pieces from the museum placed around the lawn. The
cost of the improvements is about $700,000.
Joe Howell of Howell and Vancuran Inc., a landscape
architecture firm, said the society's location on Peoria Avenue
is ideal for a garden, but planning the placement of artifacts
in the garden has been a challenge because of sizes, shapes and
mounting issues. Right now, the plan is to place 10 to 12 pieces
in the garden initially and then expand the outdoor exhibit as
more pieces are collected.
"We are so excited. We drive by at least twice
a week," Peggy Stephenson said. "It's almost like building
your own home." Charles Stephenson said they plan to visit
the garden just as often when it is completed in November. "We
want to be the first ones through it," he said.
