By Pam Johnson, Guilford Courier Staff Writer

A couple of weeks ago, a stone sculpture of a giant Moai, monolithic guardian of Rapa Nui (a.k.a. Easter Island), came to rest its gaze on Faulkner’s Island from the town dock. Residents out for a drive to the water’s edge are bound to do a double take when they pass the new sculpture, which fronts The Rothberg Institute (TRI) at 530 Whitfield St.

The town’s Design Review Committee approved the final concept for the large pink granite head. Michael P. Weiner, Ph.D. and director of technology for TRI, thanked the committee for working with TRI to bring about the installation of the sculpture. TRI began discussing its sculpture design plans with the town approximately six months ago. A sitting wall, two public benches, and landscaping will be incorporated into walking space surrounding the Moai.

TRI was founded by Guilford resident Jonathan M. Rothberg. Rothberg and his wife, Bonnie, Sachem Head residents, were featured in October 2004 in the Guilford Courier after they installed a large-scale “Circle of Life” sculpture on their property. Some had mistakenly believed the stone circle to be a replica of England’s Stonehenge. Jonathan Rothberg is chairman of TRI; Bonnie E. Gould Rothberg is its director of clinical development.

About the same time the couple had completed installing the “Circle of Life,” Weiner requested the Rothbergs consider including a large-scale sculpture at the front of the TRI building. They offered the Moai sculpture, created by “Circle of Life” sculptor Darrell Petit. Petit, the resident sculptor at the Stony Creek Quarry, delivered the completed sculpture to the Guilford institute on Tuesday, Nov. 23.

“We wanted something there that was kind of dramatic and artful, and not connected to science,” said Weiner.

TRI is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding treatments and a cure for “orphan” childhood diseases. The company has been in Guilford since June, 2002.

“We approach the diseases the larger companies can’t,” said Janet E. Verney, TRI director of operations.

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, the disease TRI is currently researching, affects approximately 50,000 people in the country and one million worldwide. The cost-prohibitive nature of commercial research, combined with slim profits projected for a possible cure, makes it an “orphan disease,” said Weiner.

“It’s really up to academic and private foundations to find a cure,” he said.

Weiner, who is also an artist, said he knew bringing art to TRI would help create the right type of atmosphere for its employees, scientists, and those visiting the institute. Last spring, in collaboration with Guilford High School and Baldwin Middle School art classes, and with a percentage of tiles donated by Fired Up of Branford, Weiner and Verney asked students to create a large, colorful wall mural with a Guilford waterfront/ Faulkner’s Island theme. The mural hangs in an entrance to the building.

The newly installed Moai sculpture is situated at the front entrance to the two-story TRI building. Sitting on a base at street level, the sculpture looks out over the water from in a small courtyard at the angled face of the TRI building. Since the Moai was installed last week, “a lot of people are stopping” to see it, said Verney.

“We’re hoping it becomes sort of a landmark. People will say, ‘Meet you by the Head,’” added Weiner.

Guilford Courier Dec 02, 2004
Shore Publishing LLC

Pictures of the Statue will be availabe once landscaping is complete... untill then, take a look at the TRI Webcam and steer the camera Left!

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