Outside campus adornments take on an artistic touch courtesy of LUAG's outdoor sculptures.
Lehigh University's Outdoor Sculpture Collection Enriches Campus Life
Lehigh University's three campuses are adorned with an extensive collection of 56 outdoor sculptures, integrating art into the daily lives of students, faculty, and visitors. These sculptures, managed by the Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG), serve as artistic landmarks and contribute to the cultural landscape of the university.
One of the most prominent sculptures is Tom Althouse's painted oak 'Aim', located on Lehigh's Asa Packer Campus. Another notable piece is Paul Sisko's 'Torn Rectangle', which has been a part of the campus since 1980.
The collection includes a diverse range of styles and materials, such as Joyce de Guatemala's stainless steel sculpture 'Popol', Ephraim Peleg's kinetic steel sculpture 'Three Rings', and bronze works like Manuel Mendive's 'Pavo Real' and Herb Seiler's 'Seated Woman on Rock'.
Sara Jewel '23 has provided an in-depth assessment of George Segal's 'Woman on Park Bench', describing its camouflage into the Memorial Walkway and its white, hardened molded plaster appearance. Meanwhile, Rachel Yiran Liu '22 focuses on Karyn Olivier's 'Have a Seat', a sculpture made from cinder block, stone, steel, and power-coated steel, which encourages interaction by allowing audiences to look at the world through little holes and observe each other.
Mark Wonsidler, curator of exhibitions and collections, notes that college campuses with elaborate outdoor sculpture collections are not very common. However, Lehigh University is making a significant effort to ensure these works are well-woven into the daily experience and physical fabric of the university campuses.
LUAG Director William Crow believes that these outdoor sculptures provide opportunities for people to slow down and notice things they might not have noticed before. This sentiment is echoed by former Lehigh Trustee Nancy Berman, who values the idea of sharing information and context for the sculptures that students, faculty, and staff encounter on Lehigh's grounds.
In addition to being a part of daily life, the sculptures are also integrated into university programming. For instance, guided Outdoor Sculpture Tours are scheduled for university events, and the collection has been utilized in the classroom. Christina Viau Haden's Spring 2020 class, for example, asked students to investigate the structural elements and ratios of Menashe Kadishman's 'Three Discs' on the Mountaintop campus.
Some sculptures, like Peter Hide's 'Sculpture No. IV (Greek)', are situated just off Lehigh's Alumni Memorial Walkway, while others, such as Herbert Simon's 'Pyramid II', are along the same walkway. The statue of Asa Packer, located on Leadership Plaza, was created by Czech Republic native Karel Mikolas.
The Lehigh University Art Galleries' effort in 2002 to re-site its outdoor art collection was initiated by the late Ricardo Viera, former LUAG director. This ongoing commitment to the collection is evident in the presence of these sculptures across the campuses, enhancing the visual environment and providing points for reflection and engagement.
In summary, the outdoor sculptures at Lehigh University are numerous and strategically installed throughout its campuses to enrich the campus environment, stimulate cultural appreciation, and are actively incorporated into university programming to ensure their relevance and accessibility to the campus community.
[1] Lehigh University Art Galleries [3] Lehigh University Art Galleries: Outdoor Sculpture Collection [5] Lehigh University Art Galleries: Outdoor Sculpture Tours
- The Lehigh University Art Galleries manage the extensive collection of 56 outdoor sculptures scattered across the three Lehigh campuses, enhancing the campus life for students, faculty, and visitors.
- The diversity in the Lehigh University Art Galleries' Outdoor Sculpture Collection includes works in various materials like stainless steel and bronze, such as Joyce de Guatemala's 'Popol' and Manuel Mendive's 'Pavo Real'.
- The Lehigh University Art Galleries arrange guided Outdoor Sculpture Tours as part of university events and use the collection for educating students, as demonstrated by Christina Viau Haden's class in Spring 2020, which investigated Menashe Kadishman's 'Three Discs'.
- The collection features prominent sculptures orchestrated within specific locations, such as Paul Sisko's 'Torn Rectangle' and Karel Mikolas' statue of Asa Packer, making strategic additions to notable areas like the Alumni Memorial Walkway and Leadership Plaza.
- The Lehigh University campus landscape is a blend of academics with art, culture, and lifestyle, providing a home-and-garden environment of sorts where one can both study engineering and aesthetically appreciate the sculptures that grace the grounds.
