ICA works celebrate glory of Penn Relays

In the 1950s and 1960s, then-high school track coach Robert Adkins brought his teams to compete in the Penn Relays year after year. Now, four years after his death, his life -- and the Relays -- have been immortalized by the work of his son. Terry Adkins' exhibit, Relay Hymn, is currently on display at Penn's Institute of Contemporary Art. The exhibit -- consisting of six sculptures -- attempts to capture the essence and rhythm of the 105-year-old Penn Relays, the country's largest track-and-field event, while exploring spiritual themes revolving around the artist and his relationship with his father. Adkins began work on Relay Hymn in 1995, the year of his father's death. The head track coach for a high school in Virginia, Robert Adkins' teams were often successful at the Relays. To create additional pieces over the past five years, Adkins used track memorabilia and pieces from the excavation of Relay archives as well as other materials found in Philadelphia. Judith Tannenbaum, associate director of the ICA, commented on Adkins' striking ability to "turn ordinary objects into the extraordinary." She added that Adkins' use of vertical space in the ICA allowed him to express to the audience his father's spiritual transcendence. Through his use of the "found object" and raw materials, Tannenbaum added, "my hope would be that after seeing the exhibit, one would begin to look around themselves and at everyday objects in a different way." In paying homage to his father, Adkins includes many track and field relics among the pieces in the exhibit. Among the sculptures, "Burner Spill" is a metal birdcage containing red and blue Penn Relay batons. "Vault," a series of long arching poles constructed of leather and brass, evokes the image of the bamboo poles once used for pole vaulting. "Vestibule," made of wooden banisters, reminds the viewer of the hurdles or the high jump. "Oracle," a giant circular metal ring, represents the boundary for the discus throw. "Centaur Cross," a long piece of slate which runs along the floor of the gallery, is reminiscent of a gray cinder running track. Adkins created each of the works in the installation, with the exception of "Oracle," specifically for their exhibition in the ICA. And he created the works on site so that he could get to know the campus and the city his father visited each year for the Relays. The exhibit featuring Adkins' work, which includes both the Relay Hymn installation and other sculptures, will close this Sunday. It has been open since September 9.