Stations of the Underground Railroad: Station #5, (sculpture).

Stations of the Underground Railroad: Station #5, (sculpture).

Conwill, Houston, 1947-2016, sculptor.

DePace, Joseph, 1954- , architect.

Majozo, Estella Conwill, 1949- , author.

Stations of the Underground Railroad: Station #5, (sculpture).

Summer 1988. Dedicated Oct. 6, 1992.

Bronze, copper sheeting, chrome plating, wood, concrete, mirrors, compasses and harmonicas.

Approx. 6 ft. x 1 ft. 4 in. x 2 ft. 4 in.

(Inscription on copper plaque) unsigned

An abstract sculpture roughly constructed in the shape of a house, the "attic" facade embossed with maps of sections of the Underground Railroad, with references to the Niagara River as a passage to freedom, and symbols of African-American culture. The "cellar" has a door which opens and closes, with a copper plaque embossed with transcriptions of actual notes passed between station masters and conductors of the Underground Railroad. The notes are written in code. The cellar originally held various objects, including a mirror, compass, and harmonica.

History -- United States -- Underground Railroad

History -- United States -- Black History

History -- United States -- New York

Ethnic -- African American

Architecture -- Domestic -- House

Object -- Written Matter -- Map

Outdoor Sculpture -- New York -- Lockport

Administered by Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University, Niagara University, New York 14109

Located Lockport YWCA, 32 Cottage Avenue, On lawn, Lockport, New York 14092

Formerly located Artpark, P. O. Box 28 Lewiston, New York 14092

The installation sculpture is one of seven virtually identical pieces that make up the Stations of the Underground Railroad Project, and is symbolic of a place to hide. The Underground Railroad was the escape route taken by enslaved African-Americans to reach free states in territories in the United States and Canada during the years of slavery, and the stations were the homes where they were fed and cared for. The pieces were originally conceived by the artist during his residency at Artpark in Lewiston, and were temporarily installed there in 1988. Artist Conwill, poet Majozo, and architect DePace collaborated on the series of seven sculptures. The works were acquired by Niagara University through a collaborative project and purchase agreement, utilizing a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts ($7,350 given in 1990 to Niagara University, Castellini Art Museum), matched by a donation from the Niagara University Castellani Purchase Fund, and a private donation. All pieces are placed at or near sites which served as stops along the Underground Railroad route to Canada. The buiding housing the Y.W.C.A. was once a private home and underground station. IAS files contain related articles from the Democrat and Chronicle (New York), Dec. 6, 1992, pg. 1C; and, the Lewiston/Porter Sentinel, July 10, 1993. IAS files also contain two related brochures and a fact sheet from the Castellani Art Museum.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, New York, Buffalo survey, 1994.

Heritage Preservation SOS! survey of NEA Art in Public Places funded sculpture, 2002.

Related to: NY0003337.

Related to: NY000338.

Related to: NY000339.

Related to: NY000340.

Related to: NY000342.

Related to: NY000343.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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