Celebrating The Spirit of P.T. Barnum

With ‘Energy, Vitality, Balance’

BRIDGEPORT — Despite the necessity to close the historic front part of the Barnum Museum recently (details below), the museum is moving forward with plans to keep the main floor and newest gallery space open. With the OK to move forward, artist David Millen is presenting an exhibition called “Celebrating the Spirit of P.T. Barnum! Energy, Balance, Vitality.”

Nearly 20 of Mr Millen’s cirque themed creations are on display, the majority of which have been created in the past three years. The exhibition will be remain on view until through January 2, 2011.

“This fabulous array of Millen’s sculptures is most suitable for the 200th anniversary year celebration of P.T. Barnum’s birth,” declared Kathy Maher, executive director and curator of the Barnum Museum. “We had a few of his pieces on display two summers ago and determined back then that in 2010 a complete Millen sculpture exhibit would fit the cirque theme in honor of one of Bridgeport’s most eccentric citizens.”

“My work is a celebration of the human spirit and the body in action,” remarked Mr Millen. “It is a timeless combination of old and new, routed in classical structure, yet stylized in its simplicity of form. My biggest inspirations for this series of sculptures were the dance troupe Pilobolus and the acrobats of Cirque du Soleil.”

David Millen uses modern construction materials beginning with a steel support framework which is layered with a special epoxy sculpting material. His finished surfaces are marbleized or bronzed and often embellished. The works range in size from 40 inches tall to life size figures. 

Mr Millen studied with Figurative Sculptors Sabin Howard and Chaim Gross at New School in New York City. He is a practicing periodonist having earned his DDS from Tufts School of Dental Medicine following obtaining his BA at Tufts College of Liberal Arts. He does private instruction in the art of figurative sculpting and he is also a skilled ceramic artist.

Mr Millen’s work has been seen during exhibitions at Jacob’s Pillow in Mass., Philadelphia Museum of Jewish History, the University of New Haven and the University of Connecticut as well as Connecticut Hospice in Branford. He has many works in public and private collections throughout the country, including Yale New Haven Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital.

A resident of North Haven, Mr Millen is also a member of The Society of Connecticut Sculptors (SCS) and New Haven Paint & Clay.

After Effects From Tornado

The historic section of the Barnum Museum is closed due to the after effects of a tornado on June 24. Air quality reports received on July 15 indicated elevated levels of lead in the 117-year-old structure, which is owned by the City of Bridgeport and on the National Register of Historic Places.

“The lead levels discovered were not dangerous,” explained Kathy Maher, “however, for the safety of our guests, we will not reopen until the entire building is ‘brand-spanking clean.’

“The reopening date will be determined as we proceed with the extensive clean-up,” she continued. “This highly specialized work must be done by conservation experts familiar with repairing and restoring historic artifacts.”

The People’s United Bank Gallery of the museum will continue to be open for a series of previously planned adult and children?s programs during July and August.

The museum has launched a tornado recovery appeal urging people and organizations to make financial contributions at any level to save this treasured landmark.

Also, due to the tornado damage, the main entrance for the museum has been relocated to the left of the historic portion of the building as you face it from Main Street (along the glass walls of the bank). 

Regular museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4:30 pm; and Sunday, noon to 4:30 pm (last admission is at 3:45 each day). Call 203-331-1104 or visit BarnumMuseum.org for additional information.