Live rendition of ‘The Blind’ held as fundraiser for Black Hawk Art Restoration and Development

OREGON – The Black Hawk Players, all residents or former residents of Oregon, presented their rendition of Maurice Maeterlinck’s play, “The Blind,” at Taft Campus Dining Hall, on Sunday, April 14, to an enthusiastic luncheon audience.

The afternoon’s events was for the benefit of a maintenance fund to the Eternal Indian, known popularly as the Black Hawk Statue by Lorado Taft. The statue is located in Lowden State Park, north of Oregon.

“The players acted silently to the narration of the play, forming finally, the famous pose in the sculpture by the same name, The Blind, by Lorado Taft. A model of the group is housed in the art gallery of the Oregon Public Library. Taft made the model while summering at Eagle Nest Camp, the present site of the Taft Field Campus owned by NIU,” said Jan Stilson, one of the event’s organizers, in a news release.

The life-sized bronze sculpture is owned and displayed at University of Illinois, Urbana, near the Krannert Art Museum, Stilson said.

“At the luncheon matinee, the Black Hawk Art Restoration and Development group presented a donation to the Illinois Conservation Foundation Director, Steve Ettinger,” she said.

The afternoon event was co-sponsored by the Oregon Park District. Donations to the maintenance fund may be sent to BARD, Box 394, Oregon IL, 61061. BARD is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.