"A House Divided Cannot Stand" - Designing Chapman University's Berlin Wall Monument at Liberty Plaza with Richard Turner

This episode seeks to answer a burning question - what does an artist do with a piece of the Berlin Wall? In our last episode, we interviewed Dr. Jim Doti, Professor and President Emeritus of Chapman University in Orange, California (chapman.edu), about how Chapman secured a piece of the Berlin Wall for the university's lovely campus. Today I am honored to be joined by Chapman's own Professor Emeritus Richard Turner, the artist who designed Liberty Plaza where Chapman's Berlin Wall is displayed. Liberty Plaza is breathtaking - set amongst crepe myrtle trees, the Berlin Wall sits in an oval reflecting pool ringed by Abraham Lincoln's quote "A House Divided Cannot Stand." A stone chair inspired by the Lincoln Memorial sits on a mound facing the wall encouraging students and visitors to consider the importance of freedom. Richard tells us how his time in Asia in the 1960s inspired his beautiful public art projects, which range from metro stations, public parks and water treatment facilities to a justice center, veterans’ memorial and a university chapel. His public work is guided by a desire to make pieces that are accessible but not obvious, pieces that reveal themselves over time to a diverse audience. Thank you, Professors Turner, Doti and Chapman University, for this amazing story.   To learn more about Dr. Doti and Professor Turner's efforts to bring the Berlin Wall to Chapman University, visit https://www.eastgermanypodcast.com/s3e5 and https://www.eastgermanypodcast.com/s3e6. Learn more about Richard Turner and his art by visiting http://www.turnerprojects.com/about   Our ability to bring you stories from behind the Berlin Wall is dependent on monthly donors like you. Visit us at https://www.eastgermanypodcast.com/p/support-the-podcast/ to contribute. For the price of a Berliner Pilsner, you can feel good you are contributing to preserve one of the most important pieces of Cold War history.   If you feel more comfortable leaving us a review to help us get more listeners, we appreciate it very much and encourage you to do so wherever you get your podcasts or at https://www.eastgermanypodcast.com/reviews/new/.   For discussions about podcast episodes and GDR history, please do join our Facebook discussion group. Just search Radio GDR in Facebook.   Vielen dank for being a listener!