By Dan Murphy
Nancy Schön, the celebrated public artist who brought Robert McCloskey’s classic children’s book ‘Make Way for Ducklings’ to life with her iconic sculpture in the Public Garden, was awarded an honorary doctorate of fine arts degree during the all-university commencement ceremony at the school on May 18.
“You are a passionate community activist who is now creating thought-provoking sculpture inspired by modern day realities,” said Tufts President Sunil Kumar to Schön in presenting the degree, describing her as “a beloved public artist, passionate activist and skilled sculptor.”
The Ducklings sculpture, commissioned by the Friends of the Public Garden, was installed in the Public Garden in 1987. Four years later in 1991, then-First Lady Barbra Bush gave an identical sculpture to the First Lady of the Soviet Union, Raisa Gorbachev, which Kumar described as a pivotal moment in the détente between the one-time Cold War rivals.
One night before the commencement ceremony, Schön, along with other honorary degree recipients, delivered a speech to a group that included professors, as well as recipients’ friends and family, at President Kumar’s on-campus residence, Gifford House.
Schön then recounted how as a young adult, she was a college dropout, which, she said “in those days meant that I had rejected conventional society or had lost my way.”
In due time, however, Schön said she “dropped back in and ultimately graduated with honors in sculpture and earned a fifth year teaching fellowship from the Boston Museum School. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Tufts in 1953, married, and became a mother to four children.
“I guess if you live to be 96, anything is possible,” said Schön ahead of receiving her honorary degree. “Life is not a straight line, for any of us. Nor is my art which has always reflected the world around me.”
In response to the world around her, Schön, who works from the garage studio of her West Newton home, has now turned her attention to creating political public art.
“In these days of horrific turmoil and unrest , we artists have an obligation to bravely tell the truth,” added Schön. “We must leave an honest rendition of historic events, no matter the consequences. I believe by doing this, I will leave a lasting, significant, meaningful, and powerful legacy.”
Freeman Hrabowski III, the mathematician, education leader, and president emeritus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who delivered the commencement’s keynote speech, addressed the group at Gifford House after Schön. But rather than sticking to his prepared remarks, Hrabowski instead called for everyone in attendance to give her a standing ovation and then went off topic momentarily to applaud Schön for her achievemnts.
“It was so unselfish,” said Schön afterwards of Hrabowski’s gesture to her. “I was so touched. I didn’t know what to do but to hug him.”