Outdoor sculptures enhance the campus

The sculptures on Lehigh's campus are part of the Lehigh University Art Galleries' permanent collections. They dot the landscape, each distinct and attention-grabbing. The sculptures offer a look into modern and contemporary art.

Each sculpture was given to the gallery by alumni, faculty and students over the years.

Mark Wonsidler, coordinator of exhibitions and collections, and a sculptor, spoke highly of the gallery sculptures.

"It is a rare and unique opportunity to live with art like we do at Lehigh, and the sculpture collection provides that," Wonsidler said. "There are a very small percent of campuses that have outdoor art like Lehigh."

Students and faculty at Lehigh are surrounded by thought-provoking sculptures every day, allowing art to become an integral part of the college experience.

The sculptures on campus were created through vastly different approaches and mediums, including metal, stone, cast bronze and plaster and gauze strips. All sculptures were made for their outdoor environment, which has allowed them to stay in good condition for many years.

Wonsidler said he found George Segal's "Woman on Park Bench" particularly interesting. The sculpture was a gift from the George and Helen Segal Foundation.

Segal's sculpture, on Memorial Walkway, is a cast figure. He used plaster bandages to create the woman. Segal initiated this new technique and created a new medium for sculpture casting. The woman is positioned with her legs crossed on a bench.

"The level of craftsmanship is really amazing [in Segal's sculpture], and it's remarkable to have a piece of art history sitting there," Wonsidler said.

Segal's sculpture is just one of many that provoke the interest of those who walk past it.

David Cerulli's "In a State of Rejuvenescence" is located between the Rauch Business Center and the Zoellner Arts Center. It is a painted aluminum sculpture fixed on a granite base and is a gift from Dexter F. Baker.

The sculpture features five flowing objects that represent mythical gods. The sheer size is impressive, as it towers far above the ground.

Alexandra Neumann, '11, an art history major, commented on the significance of the many sculptures.

"I usually attempt to persuade my friends that several of the more abstract sculptures on campus are remarkable because they allow subjectivity into the art-viewing process," she said.

Neumann showed an interest in Mary-Ann Unger's "The Temple."

"The Temple," a gift from Philip and Muriel Berman, is situated on the Asa Packer Campus and is composed of aluminum. The bent aluminum forms a shape resembling a beehive and is painted white.

Neumann said she is attracted to the architectural shape of the sculpture. "The title alone suggests that the piece is architecturally inspired," Neumann said. She also suggested that the location of "The Temple" adds a peacefulness to the sculpture. The location of most of the sculptures on Lehigh's three campuses produce a calming effect, giving the sculptures better environments to be viewed in.

J. Seward Johnson's painted bronze sculpture "Between Classes," a gift from Muriel Berman, is located on Memorial Walkway. The statue portrays a male figure dressed in academic attire and adorned with school related objects.

Johnson is known for his bronze sculptures and statues of life-like individuals performing routine tasks. The statue represents the everyday appearance and responsibility of a student.

Neumann said the less abstract nature of the statue is more appealing to students. The realistic nature of the figure has been known to catch students off guard.

The abstract nature of the sculptures allows for a variety of interpretations.

"The outdoor sculpture collection asks viewers to think again, and look at art in a new way," Wonsidler said.

"What's nice about the collection is that it does stop you in your place," Wonsidler said. "The pieces are not selected to be homogeneously in design with the campus; they are meant to be a counter point to the historical buildings."