Made by artist Karen Petersen, The Family is a sculpture that emphasizes the bonds between relatives. The bronze work of art was commissioned by the Greater Hartford Arts Council, and was finished in 2004. This sculpture stands near the Pond among other works of art in the popular Keney Park. Petersen’s work is often referred to as a combination between prehistoric, full-bodied figures, and modern sculpture. Her style creates a variety of different shapes, but the most common themes are dense figures that are occasionally combined with thin, long pieces of material jutting out of the piece. The Family is one such piece that creates this dense appearance from the figures clinging to each other tightly, emphasizing the emotions that the members of the family have for each other.
