With a gift of twenty-four sculptures, Chestertown is about to enter an extraordinary phase of its ever-ascending appreciation and showcasing of the arts—with an installation of twenty-four sculptures to be placed throughout the town.
For the last two years, members of the Public Art Committee, Kent Cultural Alliance, and the A & E District have been in discussions with Hanna and Peter Woicke of St. Michaels about the couple’s offer to donate their world-class sculptures to Chestertown,
Ben Tilghman, Chair of the Public Arts Committee presented the full proposal to the Town Council during their Monday, July 19 meeting. The Council will review the proposal and make their decision in one of the next two Council meetings.
“After carefully reviewing the collection and discussing possible locations for the works in accordance with the Accession Policy approved by the Town Council, the Public Art Committee (PAC) proposes that we accept the gift of the full collection over the course of the next three years. A three-year timetable will allow the town to manage the complexities of installation without having to store the works in the meantime,” Tilghman said.
If officially accepted by the Council, the first set of sculptures will be delivered to the town sometime this fall. Locations for several of the pieces have already been suggested.
“I love how quickly the Woickes understood what a viable setting Chestertown would be for their artworks. They could see the community’s active appreciation of the arts and the array of possible settings,” former Economic Development and Marketing Coordinator Kay MacIntosh said.
The Woickes’ fondness for Chestertown began some years ago with visits to the MassoniArt Gallery and an appreciation for the Kohl Gallery at Washington College. When they decided to donate their sculpture collection to a community—and keep the collection intact—the couple saw Chestertown as the perfect location and a town that appreciated such a unique opportunity with open arms.
Two weeks ago, The Spy interviewed the couple at their St. Michael’s residence to discuss the sculpture collection, how it came to be, and their affection for the community.
Since 1993, as an executive at World Bank and its requisite worldwide travels, the Woickes always made time to visit international galleries and public art landscapes large and small. Along the way, they couldn’t resist wanting to bring one or two back to the US. One thing led to another, as they say. Now their lawn is a panorama of sculptures.
“We’ve never disagreed on any art we’ve acquired,” Peter says and is quick to point out that Hanna has a more extensive background in the arts, having studied hart history at University in Saarbrücken, Germany. She was also one of three curators at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, one of the foremost regional museums of contemporary art in the country.
But Hanna and Peter didn’t just collect art. They became life-long friends with many of the artists, and in some cases, invited them back to their guest cottage in St. Michaels to create a commissioned piece for them.
Director of Kent Cultural Alliance John Schratwieser told the Spy that the collection is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a small rural community. “The artists are diverse in every sense, and the long-term benefits for the people of Chestertown and Kent county are many. Having a public art trail for students to learn from, seniors to interact with, and visitors and residents alike to enjoy, is just a win for all.”
This game-changing gift of public art to the community has roots in a 2016 art initiative by Alex Castro, former Director of the Sandbox and Art Lecturer at Washington College, and the Broad Reach sculpture in Wilmer Park. When contacted to tell him the news about the Woicke’s gift, Castro, now retired, was ecstatic. This is the kind of thing he hoped would come to pass. “This opens the doorway to having visiting artists create on-site.”
That’s a sentiment John Schratwieser plans to realize when the Kent Cultural Alliance building is completed and art residencies can begin.
In the meantime, for three years, sculptures of all kinds, shapes, and materials will arrive for all to experience.
Schratwieser says that the collection is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a small rural community with long-term benefits for the town and county.
“The pieces are expressive and engaging, the artists are diverse in every sense, and the long-term benefits for the people of Chestertown and Kent County are many. Having a public art trail for students to learn from, seniors to interact with, and visitors and residents alike to enjoy, is just a win for all. Peter and Hanna have been generous of heart and spirit throughout the process,” Schratwieser says.
This video depicts only a handful of the sculptures that will appear in Chestertown over the next three years. The Spy will offer images of more of them in the weeks to come.
This video is approximately eight minutes in length.
Beryl Smith says
This is one of the most exciting things that has happened recently in Chestertown. Wonderful that the Woikes thought of the town and exceptional that the town was receptive to not only the gift but the thoughtful placement for the enjoyment of all!!!!!