Herndon, VA, September 22, 2010 – Segovia, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inmarsat plc, and a leading provider of secure global IP communications, announced today that it will donate two bronze statues, commissioned through the Wegner Foundry, to The National Museum of the Marine Corps.
Segovia underwrote the initial mold and casting for “The Grenadier” which was just recently completed, and the casting for “The 240 Golf Machine Gunner” which is still in development. The statues are the work of combat artist Michael Fay, one of only a handful of former military service member artists.
“Mr. Fay’s art provides insight into a world most of us are never exposed to directly, yet hear about almost daily. His multiple deployments, including tours to Iraq and Afghanistan are powerfully reflected in his sculpture and print pieces. Many of Segovia’s employees are former military, and we are a trusted and value-added partner of the Defense community, operating the largest DoD VSAT network. As a matter very close to our heart, we are proud to support Mr. Fay’s inspirational work and his commitment to provide the public with alternative ways of thinking about our troops in combat,” said Michael Wheeler, President and CEO, Segovia, Inc.
“The Grenadier” sculpture is based on a photograph Michael Fay took during an overseas deployment in 2005. The piece was built from a wired armature covered with plasticine clay, then wrapped in a skin of plaster of paris cloth–a technique known as ecorche. The resulting figure was then fully fleshed out using sculptor’s wax, and the foundry cast a series of molds used to produce hollow waxes. Each wax was then re-tooled to bring back or add the exquisite details for which Mr. Fay is renowned. The final waxes underwent a “lost wax” bronze casting process, resulting in the finished statue.
Aside from the exhaustive amount of work and incredible attention to detail, the most interesting facts about “The Grenadier” come from the artist himself, reflecting on his newly finished piece: “The figure is shown with a pomegranate in his right hand and his helmet in his left. Across his chest an M-16 rifle with an M203 grenade launcher hangs on a three point sling. On his back hangs an AT-4 rocket. At the grenadier’s feet lies a branch blasted off a pomegranate tree and scattered leaves, and spent rifle and grenade casings. The word for grenade originated from the word for pomegranate. The gardens in Iraq and Afghanistan are always filled with them.”
On behalf of Segovia, Mr. Wheeler will formally present “The Grenadier” to the National Museum of the Marine Corps on Tuesday, September 28th, at a special morning event hosted at the museum, located in Triangle, VA.
For more information, please visit http://www.segoviaip.com/about/default.aspx?id=252 or http://www.segoviaip.com/.
About Segovia
Segovia, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inmarsat plc, is a recognized leader in providing secure, global IP communication solutions to the public and private sectors. For nearly a decade, our existing global network infrastructure and innovative business approach – backed by the industry’s most skilled and experienced workforce – have yielded smarter solutions, delivered with greater speed, reliability and customer focus. A trusted partner of the defense, homeland security and emergency first-response communities, Segovia quickly deploys end-to-end, mission-critical communications to support strategic and tactical initiatives world-wide. Segovia is headquartered in Herndon, VA with network assets and operations around the globe. To learn more, visit www.segoviaIP.com or call 866.SEGOVIA.
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Media Contact:
Alena Koci
Director Strategic Marketing
Segovia, Inc.
Phone: (703) 621-0271
Fax: (703) 435-1992
Email: Alena.Koci@SegoviaIP.com
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