( Peru, Neb.) Peru State College President Dan Hanson will be joined by critically acclaimed artist Benjamin Victor to unveil a larger than life-size bronze sculpture of a historic football player near the Oak Bowl Stadium entrance at 5 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 29. The public is invited to attend.

Following the unveiling, the Bobcat football team will take on the Central Methodist University Eagles at 6 p.m. in the season opener in the Oak Bowl.

The bronze sculpture was commissioned as part of the $9 million Oak Bowl renovation that was completed last fall. By Nebraska law, one percent of all state-appropriated monies, in this case $7.5 million, must be used toward art.

The Oak Bowl project included a renovation to the stadium, press box, concourse area, concession stand, restrooms and pedestrian access. As one of the largest outdoor facilities in southeast Nebraska, the lighted, turfed field is used for the college’s football program, active intramural program and a variety of other academic and co-curricular activities such as band competitions, camps and high school football play-offs.

Victor was on the Peru State campus for nearly a week this past March sculpting the statue and sharing insight into his craft with students and members of the community.

Art critics and organizations, including the National Sculpture Society in New York City, recognize the aesthetic and conceptual integrity of Victor’s artwork. He got his first large commission at age 23. By 26, he became the youngest artist in history to have a sculpture in National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Nine years later he became the only living artist to have two works in Statuary Hall.

For additional information about Victor or to view his work, visit www.benjaminvictor.com .