New to the Casady Family: Marrakech’s Soul

Justin Schneider, Staff WriterMarrakech’s Soul, a large statue, was erected next to the chapel in August of 2015 as a gift from an anonymous donor. The body of the metalwork consists of various letters in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Cyrillic, Arabic, Hindi, Japanese, and Chinese. Situated on the southwest edge of Casady Lake, Marrakech’s Soul kneels, with its hands in its lap, facing St. Edward’s Chapel.Forged by internationally renowned Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, Casady’s newest feature is among works which have been featured in several prominent art galleries around the world. A similar piece, the Alchemist, sits on Massachusetts Avenue in the Massachusetts Institution of Technology (MIT) campus.Mr. Sheldon told the Crier that the statue “symbolizes the importance of education because lack of education creates a void in our ability to communicate universally.” Since Casady students delve in both the foreign languages and the many genres of art, the statue “reminds us of the importance of art and the expression of ourselves through the use of art” (Sheldon, Headmaster).A professional landscape architect, the executive director of the OKC art museum, and the New York art gallery determined the location of Marrakech’s Soul on Casady’s campus.Various Casady students have given mixed responses towards the addition to the school’s landscape.Despite the professional decision on the statue’s placement, a student who has requested anonymity said that the statue is "awkwardly placed.”Other students seem more indifferent, claiming to have “never really looked at the statue.”The teachers, however, complimented the metal structure and gave generally positive reactions such as “from a distance I like it best at night, when it is illuminated.”Only time will tell of how the presence of Marrakech's Soul will affect the school. Perhaps it will promote critical thought and discussion, or at the very least, after reading this article, that indifferent student quoted will decide to give it a look.