Skip to content

Big Sculptures on Campus

Last Friday I noticed a new sculpture in the quad.

One Sculpture

Then I saw another, not too far away.

Another Sculpture

What’s going on here? Could it be a part of Prospect.1?

On November 1, 2008, Prospect.1 New Orleans [P.1], the largest biennial of international contemporary art ever organized in the United States, will open to the public in museums, historic buildings, and found sites throughout New Orleans.

Maybe. But our campus is not listed as a venue, and I can’t find mention of Prospect.1 on our website.

There’s a third sculpture by the rack where I park my bike.

Third Sculpture

It looks like it’s not yet fully assembled. A co-worker suggested this might be how it’s supposed to be presented. I scoffed at the notion, but here it is a week later and that snake head is still lying on the ground next to the pedestal.

Mysteries abound.

Update: Just got word via the campus e-bulletin:

Have you noticed strange things on the quad? It’s art – part of the “Sculpture for New Orleans” project, a two-year exhibition placing monumental sculptures throughout New Orleans to bring national and international attention to the visual arts and the artists of post-Katrina New Orleans. The XU Art Department is assisting with installation here on campus. For more info, visit sculptureforneworleans.org.

Published inArtsyNew OrleansPixThe Ed Biz

6 Comments

  1. These three pieces do not strike me as being very good art. I thought maybe some prince of Qatar had an art student son and we promised to put up his bad art in exchange for the millions we received for the pharmacy building. In any case, the first image you show looks like a vagina, and the cement block and the third one, the thing fallen over, none of them seem to me to be that great. I love the John Scott kinetic piece nearby, and I was spoiled at UCSD with their campus sculptures, some of the best in the world.

  2. Civitch Civitch

    These “sculptures” look like large versions of discarded high school art projects from the class geared towards the students without any artistic ability.

  3. I was invited to exhibit my sculpture ‘Giraffe’, a kinetic, mixed medium sculpture located by the library entrance. The top, head section interacts with the wind. It is part of the Sculpture for New Orleans exhibition. The inspiration is from a combination of imagery: the circulatory system, the branches of a tree, the flamming bush, cellular structures, the cosmos as well as the gestures that the head of a giraffe makes while scanning its’ ennvirnment. The viewer may see none or all the above mentioned. Those images, in my minds eye, helped me design this piece.

    I loved the location of the piece. It helped create a more intimate space for the piece to be viewed.

    The Xavier University Art Department faculty, Ron Bechet and MaPo’ Kinnord-Payton were gracious hosts.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *