Martin Luther comes to LRU

Lenoir-Rhyne University recently became home to one of the world's largest statues of Martin Luther, whose teachings launched the Protestant Reformation and created the Lutheran Church. This 12-foot granite statue arrived on campus on Oct. 4, 2011 and was dedicated on Oct. 9, 2011 during Homecoming festivities. The statue is a gift from Charlotte philanthropist Irwin Belk and was created by Jon Hair, a sculptor from Cornelius, N.C.

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Martin's Journey...

Dedication
The Martin Luther statue is dedicated on Homecoming weekend, Oct. 9, 2010. Pictured left to right: Jon Hair (the sculptor), Irwin Belk (the donor), Pastor Andrew Weisner (LRU Pastor), Dr. Wayne Powell (LRU President).

Success!
The Martin Luther statue is permanently installed, ready for dedication on Oct. 9. (Photo by Christopher Wilson)

Final Destination
Wednesday, Oct. 6: The sculpture is lowered into place on its pedestal located near the Cromer Student Center.

Arrival
Monday, Oct. 4: The statue is welcomed to campus by an excited group of LRU onlookers.

On the way
The statue is carefully packed and readied for the long voyage to Hickory.

Finished statue
The completed work is polished and ready to be shipped. The statue is 12 feet high and will be placed on a pedestal in front of Shaw Plaza on the LRU campus.

Martin takes shape
The sculpting process involves many hours of grinding, measuring, chiseling, and detailing.

Rough sculpting
The next step is rough sculpting the figure of Martin Luther.

The real work begins
Jon begins roughing out the the huge block of grey granite. Granite is a very dense and heavy material that is difficult to carve but is more permanent than most other materials.

Meet the artist
Jon Hair, a sculptor from Cornelius, N.C, designed the statue of Martin Luther. Hair enjoys sculpting historical figures because of his lifelong interest in history and his talent for portraiture.

News/Events

This sculpture of Martin Luther was recently installed on the Lenoir-Rhyne campus. Jon Hair, a sculptor from Cornelius, N.C, designed the statue.

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	Dedication The Martin Luther statue is dedicated on Homecoming weekend, Oct. 9, 2010. Pictured left to right: Jon Hair (the sculptor), Irwin Belk (the donor), Pastor Andrew Weisner (LRU Pastor), Dr. Wayne Powell (LRU President).
	Success! The Martin Luther statue is permanently installed, ready for dedication on Oct. 9. (Photo by Christopher Wilson)
	Final Destination Wednesday, Oct. 6: The sculpture is lowered into place on its pedestal located near the Cromer Student Center.
	Arrival Monday, Oct. 4: The statue is welcomed to campus by an excited group of LRU onlookers.
	On the way The statue is carefully packed and readied for the long voyage to Hickory.
	Finished statue The completed work is polished and ready to be shipped. The statue is 12 feet high and will be placed on a pedestal in front of Shaw Plaza on the LRU campus.
	Martin takes shape The sculpting process involves many hours of grinding, measuring, chiseling, and detailing.
	Rough sculpting The next step is rough sculpting the figure of Martin Luther.
	The real work begins Jon begins roughing out the the huge block of grey granite. Granite is a very dense and heavy material that is difficult to carve but is more permanent than most other materials.
	Meet the artist Jon Hair, a sculptor from Cornelius, N.C, designed the statue of Martin Luther. Hair enjoys sculpting historical figures because of his lifelong interest in history and his talent for portraiture.