HOFFMAN SCULPTURE RECEIVES WARM WELCOME FROM THE FLOWER CITY AT DRYDEN THEATRE

BY JODY GREER

Last year when the George Eastman Museum unveiled the bronze, life-sized sculpture of Fairport native and famed actor Philip Seymour Ho man in May, its future in Rochester was unclear. e sculpture was cra ed by David Annand and commissioned by lm producer James Declan Tobin with funding provided by the Sumner Roy Kates Charitable Trust.

Originally, the sculpture was to reside at e Eastman Museum for a certain amount of time, then make its journey to New York City. Ho man was a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts and was a well-known inhabitant of New York’s West Village. Many of Ho man’s movies were lmed in New York City as well, so Tobin initially felt New York was the appropriate location to memorialize the actor’s spirit. A er further discussions between James Declan Tobin and Bruce Barnes, Director at Eastman Museum, however, the Museum board recently voted unanimously to retain the sculpture in Rochester permanently.

e sculpture has since received an overwhelming response from the community and is now considered a point of pride for all Rochesterians. It was an easy decision to make according to Ho man’s mother, Marilyn O’Connor, who says, “We had a wonderful response from the community. e response was so positive, the question was, why is it not staying here? It belongs here, he’s from here. A lot of people hug him and take sel es with the sculpture. I walk by and say, ‘Hi Phil” on my way to the Dryden.”

Although creating a sculpture wasn’t the rst idea Tobin had in mind when it came to keeping the legacy of Ho man alive. He established two scholarships in Ho man’s name at his alma mater, NYU. However, a er viewing artist David Annand’s work, it was only a matter of time before Tobin conceptualized a bust of Ho man, began the six-yearlong project. O’Connor adds, “David Annand made a bust, then he entered it into a European competition and won and everyone was thrilled, so it became about how would we add the body to this. It was sort of one step at a time, then came the unveiling and David called it the high point of his career. It was his rst sculpture in the United States.”

Ho man, who passed in 2014, was an Academy Award winner for his compelling work in Capote (2005) and acted in over 50 lms throughout his career. Ho man is arguably one of the most celebrated actors of his time.

With the sculpture project, Ho man was essentially brought home to where his roots began, and where he rst considered acting as a profession. It’s a poignant and emotional tribute for Ho man’s family and all who enjoyed his artistry. Tobin considers Ho man one of the single greatest actors of his generation, which O’Connor feels attered to hear. She says, “It’s a wonderful compliment and it’s a good thought, but I think Phil would have just laughed because he knew and respected other actors. I don’t think he would have accepted the mantle so easily.” e Eastman Museum is known worldwide as the world’s oldest photography museum, housing collections in elds of photography and cinema as well as cinematic technology. ey are world-renowned leaders and experts in lm preservation. While Eastman may not be the originally intended site, few argue there’s a more appropriate location for the sculpture and for bringing Ho man home at last.

Barnes says the Eastman Museum board is grateful for the opportunity to keep the sculpture permanently in Rochester, NY. He says, “ e George Eastman Museum is thrilled to be able to honor Philip Seymour Ho man and his contributions to cinema by having this wonderful sculpture of him near the entrance to our Dryden eatre.” is year in honor of Ho man’s legacy, the Dryden eatre will host twenty-four of Ho man’s lms as part of a year-long series. e series, which kicked o in January, will feature many of Ho man’s most memorable lms, a touching tribute for the decorated actor who called the Flower City home. For more information, or tickets, visit https:// www.eastman.org/dryden-theatre.

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