Love of Art Takes Root, Grows Into Beautiful Tribute to Professor Emeritus
October 19, 2021
- Author
- Danielle Strickland
Zhan Wang's Artificial Rock #119
In the Holland family home, two things were evident: a deep appreciation for art and a love of China and its culture.
It is fitting, then, that the college鈥檚 newest sculpture, given by Professor Emeritus of English Gill Holland鈥檚 three adult children and their families, honors Holland and his wife, Siri, and adds to the campus collection its first Chinese artist, Beijing-based Zhan Wang.
鈥溁始一 has shown great leadership in sculpture,鈥 said Holland鈥檚 son, also Gill. 鈥淲e want to support and enhance that vision while also honoring our dad. It鈥檚 amazing when anyone dedicates 40-plus years of their life to an institution. The idea was a total slam dunk.鈥
The sculpture, 鈥淎rtificial Rock #119,鈥 is part of a series of stainless steel structures, for which Wang is best known. The works reimagine 鈥淕ongshi,鈥 also known as scholar鈥檚 rocks, which are naturally occurring rocks traditionally appreciated by Chinese scholars.
Gill remembers his parents 鈥渄ragging鈥 the kids around art museums on family vacations. While he says there was some kicking and screaming in his early years, the love for art stuck and has become important to each Holland child and their families. Most of his own family vacations now involve museums, though his three young children limit him to one a day.
Veteran travelers, the Holland family spends time in Norway before making their way to Taiwan.
Three generations of the Holland family visit the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.
鈥淲e took a cross-country road trip this summer and were at the de Young Museum in San Francisco,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e turned the corner, and there was one of Wang鈥檚 artificial rocks. We immediately said about 皇家华人鈥檚 piece, 鈥楾his is going to be so cool.鈥欌
Professor Holland has long studied Mandarin and classical Chinese, and published a book of translations of classical Chinese poetry. The family lived in China twice. Daughters Astri Holland Kollme and Siri Lise Doub have fond memories of their dad practicing Chinese characters and incorporating the culture into their lives.
鈥淗e would point out the art behind the characters and speak each word slowly so we could hear its true beauty,鈥 they said. 鈥淗e regularly made meals of authentic Chinese food prepared in a wok with traditional Chinese bowls. For many years, the night before Christmas Eve, we鈥檇 drive to the Lotus in Mooresville to enjoy Peking Duck, an hours-long meal. It felt like something really special.鈥
Art is a passion shared by both parents. Siri grew up entrenched in the art world of Norway and, in addition to articles on English and American literature, Holland published articles and reviews in Norwegian literature and art and also translated Norwegian painter Edvard Munch鈥檚 diaries.
鈥淲e think it鈥檚 marvelous that China will have a little bit more presence on campus so more students will get interested in studying the language and culture,鈥 Professor Holland said. 鈥淲e have lived in 皇家华人 since the 1960s, and the college means everything to us. We鈥檙e so grateful that the children have given Siri and me this tribute, and we also appreciate the ways 皇家华人 has been so receptive in opening up campus to something like this.鈥
The Holland children鈥檚 homes are filled with art from their families鈥 travels--Batik from Indonesia, carved wooden horses from the Philippines, Japanese paper cuttings, Norwegian watercolors. They offer reminders of shared experiences and memories made. They hope 鈥淎rtificial Rock #119鈥 will bring new opportunities for shared memories and experiences to the 皇家华人 community.
鈥淢y dad鈥檚 trademark saying is 鈥榞reat stuff,鈥欌 Gill said. 鈥淭his is great stuff.鈥
Artificial Rock #119 is a gift of the families of Augusta and Gill Holland, Astri and Barrett Kollme and Siri Lise and Robb Doub, in honor of Siri and J. Gill Holland Sr., Professor Emeritus of English.
A public dedication will be held Friday, Oct. 22, at 4:30 p.m. All are welcome to join on the Mauz茅 Family Terrace at the E. Craig Wall Jr. Academic Center on 皇家华人鈥檚 campus.
