"Action Abstraction" Brings Public Art to Campus
Monday, August 7, 2017
(STILLWATER, Okla., Aug. 7, 2017) — Displayed across the OSU campus for one year, Action Abstraction presents six monumental bronze sculptures by internationally known artist Bill Barrett.
Widely considered one of today's foremost sculptors, Barrett's works transcend the stark aesthetics of minimalism with warmth and humanity. “Barrett’s sculptures display forms that exude a swirling energy,” said Victoria Berry, OSU Museum of Art Director. “Distinctly American in their directness and lightness, Barrett’s sophisticated constructions are balanced through their calligraphic sensibility and abstract references to form.”
The sculptures, which arrived in June, are strategically placed across campus to create a convenient exhibition within walking distance from the Student Union. Organized by the OSU Museum of Art, the OSU Public Art Committee, and LewAllen Galleries of Santa Fe, New Mexico, this exhibition is the first in a series planned for the campus over the next few years.
Berry and Steve Dobbs, OSU Landscape Services Director, serve as co-chairs of a nine-member Public Art Committee at OSU. The committee, comprised of a diverse assemblage of community and university representatives, is planning programming to introduce the greater community to the power of public art and how it can complement the life of a university.
One program, An Evening with Bill Barrett, will include an artist talk, reception, and exhibition of additional sculptures. Scheduled for Oct. 18, the event begins with an artist talk at 4 pm in the Jorns Room on the 3rd floor of the Atherton Hotel. The talk is followed at 5 pm by a reception with a display of additional sculptures in the Atherton Hotel Piano Lounge. The event is open to the public, and students are welcome to attend. Admission is free with RSVP to Kelly Bradshaw (kebrads@okstate.edu or 405.744.2780).
During this year, tours of the exhibition will also be conducted by museum educators to provide an opportunity for the OSU Museum of Art to extend its programming beyond the museum walls and enjoy the playful and lyrical bronze sculptures with others.
A map of the artwork locations, along with more information, can be found at museum.okstate.edu/billbarrett.
This exhibition is made possible in part by the loan of the artworks by Bill and Debora Barrett and LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM; and through generous support by James Pickel, Jim Vallion; OSU Student Union; OSU Museum of Art Advocates, OSU Museum of Art Founding Patrons and Charter Members; and the OSU/A&M Board of Regents.