Installation art by Patrick Dougherty to come down
The sculpture was created with the help of 75 campus and community volunteers in January 2005. Since its construction, there has been a lot of positive feedback, says Brian Rust, professor of art in the Department of Art. Known affectionately as "the maze," it has continually drawn visitors to campus who delight in walking through and around it. For many, it is their first experience with installation art—a form of art that uses the environment in its creation and display. Mr. Rust says the artwork was intended to be a temporary piece, and it was designed so that people can view it from all angles. From his office in the Fine Arts Center, he has observed the ways in which the sculpture is being viewed. "Some places within the sculpture can only be accessed by kids. Mr. Dougherty's most appreciative audiences are children under eight. The kids think of it as something magical," says Mr. Rust. "I'm always amazed at the number of people who have come by and walked through it." He says that a sure sign of success is that there is no grass in the space where visitors have walked around and through the artwork. The area will get a new planting of rye grass once it is dismantled, says Therese Rosier, director of the Physical Plant. She has arranged for the dismantling of the sculpture as well as the repair of the area where the artwork stood. It will be a two-day process, she estimates. In the meantime, visitors are encouraged to visit the Inside View for a final look at the installation artwork. A ceremony scheduled later this semester will give campus that opportunity. Other News Stories:
November 2006 |
It's time to take a final view of the Inside View, the installation artwork that stands in the Grove, outside University Hall. Created by internationally-known artist Patrick Dougherty, the sculpture that has fascinated campus visitors for almost two years is scheduled to come down at the end of fall semester. 
