New sculptures cast creative air on campuses

May 26, 2011 | Arts, UToday
By Vicki L. Kroll



“Happy Happy,” left, and “The Invention,” glacial granite, by Giancarlo Calicchia

“Happy Happy,” left, and “The Invention,” glacial granite, by Giancarlo Calicchia

There are a couple of new faces in Ravin Plaza on Centennial Mall, and a hefty catfish has landed behind Carlson Library near the Ottawa River.

See the stony visages titled “Happy Happy” and “The Invention,” made from glacial granite by Giancarlo Calicchia, and the corten steel and stainless steel “Cat Fish” forged by Ken Thompson. The works are three of the 10 new pieces installed for the sixth annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition.

More than 100 entries were submitted for consideration to the Midwest Sculpture Initiative. The UT Campus Beautification Committee reviewed the submissions and selected the sculptures to display.

“Sentinel,” painted steel, by Brian Ferriby

“Sentinel,” painted steel, by Brian Ferriby

“We hope everyone continues to enjoy the beauty the Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition adds to the University’s campuses,” said Dr. Steven LeBlanc, senior associate dean in the College of Engineering and chair of the Campus Beautification Committee.

Glenn Zweygardt’s “Passions Guardian” adds a 1,200-pound exclamation point to the Student River Plaza behind the Student Union. And Brian Ferriby’s red-painted steel “Sentinel” adds a dash of color to Ravin Plaza on Centennial Mall.

Other new works on Main Campus are TJ Aitken’s “Boomer’s Nike,” which is located near Ottawa East and the University/Parks Trail; John Sauve’s “Puppenspieler,” which is on the east side of the Health and Human Services Building; and Douglas Gruizenga’s aluminum “Harmony,” which sits near the southeast entrance to Nitschke Hall.

“Interloctangles,” a 175-pound steel work by Lee Badger, is outside UT Medical Center’s east entrance, and the steel “Matisse Cut-Out” by Mike Sohikian is on the south side of the Health Education Building on Health Science Campus.

“UT provides wonderful venues for the placement of outdoor sculpture that significantly adds to the beauty of campuses,” said Richard Eastop, former UT administrator, who serves on the Campus Beautification Committee. “We now have 14 sculptures that we own and 10 that are part of the annual rotating exhibit. The fact that we do this sets the University apart from many other institutions; I like that.”

Thanks to a generous donor, Dorothy MacKenzie Price from the UT class of 1948, one work from last year, Sohikian’s “Harp,” will stay on Main Campus. The piece was moved from the Ravin Plaza to the north side of the Snyder Memorial Building.

All artists received a $250 stipend for their artwork, which will remain on display for the next year. This exhibition is funded by the Campus Beautification Committee.

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