Sculpting history
by Jenny Pollock
Issue date: 9/1/09
Section: Campus News
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 "The Fountain," located right in the center of Minnesota State outside of the Centennial Student Union, was installed in 1969, using water jets to create a spiral effect. The sculpture inside of the fountain was installed six years later. The sculpture was created by former art department faculty member Roger Johnson.
"The sculpture solved mechanical problems with the pump as well as fills the space with art," said Jim Johnson, art department chair.
 "Pillars" is a work of art that challenges on a daily basis. It consists of eight limestone blocks with a selection of seven academic areas written on them, leaving one block blank. A specific type of limestone was used from Vetter Stone Company in Mankato.
"Limestone of that color can only be found here. They send it all over the world," Johnson said. "Pillars" is located on the corner of Stadium Road and Ellis Avenue. As I walked from Gage to class every day I would wonder why some of those blocks are upside down. I speculated many possibilities (the philosophy block was trying be philosophical, but then why was geology upside down?) I thought some guys playing a prank flipped them upside down. None of these answers are correct. The artist Steven Woodward wanted to make the students ask "Why?". The upside down academic areas Philosophy and Geography represent areas that aren't mentioned, leaving room for investigation. The name "Pillars" reflects the students who study a discipline here at MSU- the things they learn here are the pillars for the rest of their life.
"I like Steven's idea. It used to be a parking lot there. He sculpted the grass. It was very effective the way he takes the environment into consideration," Johnson said.
 The Ostrander Student Memorial Bell Tower, located behind Trafton, isn't technically a sculpture but a work for engineering. Despite no actual bell, it can still make some noise, playin music through a system called a carillion. The bell tower was added to our campus in 1988, costing $275,453. A large portion of the funding came from Lloyd B. Ostrander a former graduate of MSU.
 Arnoldus J. Gruter, former Artist-in-Residence at MSU, created two of the sculptures on campus: "Waves" and "Chthinic," both located between the CSU and the Library.
 "Waves" is a red sculpture that represents a segment of the ocean. There are two parts- a static part which does not change and a dynamic part that is ever-changing. There is always a Pacific Ocean and an Atlantic Ocean, but Gruter said "At no two moments in history, however, is the ocean the same." According to Gruter, this correlates to university life because the faculty, buildings, library, and campus are constant, while the students and their new ideas, concepts, and research can change. This sculpture was made as a memorial for Jerry Berger, a student who was killed in an industrial accident in 1969.
 "Chthonic," also made by Gruter, was installed on campus in 1975. It is located in between the library and CSU. "Chthonic" is two spheres of different sizes that intersect. The shapes used are inspired by the ancient Greeks. It is made mostly of polyurethane foam surrounding plywood and steel piping. Gruter carved the polyurethane with knives and rasps, then coated the sculpture with many layers of special paint. "Throughout the years the sculpture has been repainted several times," Gruter said. Like Gruter's other work, this symbolizes the way the steady, never-changing campus interacts with the always- changing student population. The big sphere represents the campus while the small sphere represents the students.
"The two support each other. One can not do with out the other," Gruter said.
 "American Ceramics," in the library, was made by Joyce Kozloff. It consists of ceramic tiles with abstract maps on each tile.
"It's abstract versions of cities that lie on the 44th parallel, where we are," Johnson said.
The tiles are mounted on the wall creating one big abstract map.
"I like them all, but I am partial to Joyce's piece," Johnson said.
"Spin" consists of black cement-cast spheres made by Janet Lofquist. This sculpture was installed on the east entrance of Trafton in 1993. It was put near the building entrance to present a welcoming feeling as one enters. A percentage of"Spin" was funded by an arts program. When the state of Minnesota pays for a building, up to one percent of the total cost can be applied to a piece of art work for the public. Artists from all over the country apply to to do the work. "Spin", "Pillars", and the most recent addition to campus, "Gravity Wave" were all funded by this program.
"Gravity Wave" was added to campus this year at Ford Hall. The sculpture was made by Brower Hatcher and is placed on a brick wall. It is made mostly of wires that fill spaces. "If you look closely there are recognizable objects, things you'd recognize from your every day life," Johnson said.
Jenny Pollock is a Reporter staff writer
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