Contributing to the natural beauty of campus lie hidden gems – sculptures and art pieces weaved into the buildings, the environment and the university’s history. Though they often exist only in one’s periphery, the various installations are intentional, allowing students, staff, faculty and community members discover the intriguing stories surrounding WSUVancouver.
“I think art is so important to have on a college campus… it’s fascinating having hidden [pieces] as a fun little mystery, or story to tell people.” – Annika Larman
Harrison Higgs, professor of fine arts, believes art makes spaces feel more human. The university has rotating art installations from outside artists and WSU Vancouver students, but there are also several permanent sculptures on campus to be admired by those passing by. Higgs says the sculptures function as more than just decorative pieces, and make the campus feel more inviting.
“It is important to me as someone who’s part of this campus community that this place feels inviting. Because it’s a new campus, and buildings are new and there are no residential dorms… anything that helps it feel more human and inviting is welcome,” Higgs said.
Close to the Firstenburg Student Commons is a plaza with an etched marble labyrinth, spiral arcs and a tower sundial known as the “Golden Section.” Annika Larman, a junior majoring in psychology and enrolled in the university’s sculpture class, says this piece is an excellent conversation starter because it is so strange.
“I think art is so important to have on a college campus… it’s fascinating having hidden [pieces] as a fun little mystery, or story to tell people. But beyond that, I think it can be really provocative, and make a lot of interesting discussions,” Larman said. “I could sit there and just think about the piece for so long. And I think that is therapeutic, especially for a college campus.”
(Rowan Segura/The VanCougar)
As visitors walk into the Undergraduate Building, they are greeted by a large hanging sculpture entitled “Impressions.” Larman says this is their favorite piece, as the artwork stands in place of a tree that was sacrificed to construct the building.
“They tried to build the entire building around the trees that were there, and there were originally two.… Unfortunately, they did have to sacrifice one of the trees, but they decided to honor it by creating it into an art piece,” Larman said. “If you stand right below it and look up, you can see where the rings [of the tree] originally were.”
Higgs says his favorite sculpture is the rocks next to the Library Building called “Opening the Secret,” another sculpture formed from natural materials. He was able to assist artist Li Xiuqin in creating the piece by picking out some of the stones used.
“[It was] fun to see another artist working through their process. I like the idea behind it, which is that… you have to know both Chinese and Braille to be able to read it. And it’s at such a large scale that it’s hard to do that with your hands, you really have to take the whole thing in a little bit at a time. I think it’s an interesting sculpture,” Higgs said.
The secluded and blended nature of the sculptures was intended by the university’s art committee, according to Jennifer Miltenberger, associate vice president of development at WSU Vancouver. Perhaps the most secluded sculpture on campus, “The Wailing Bell,” can be found in the forest near the footbridge behind the library.
“The art committee wanted to select multiple pieces that could be shared and on display throughout the campus, both internal and external. ‘The Wailing Bell’ was [meant] to be kind of a surprise as people were exploring nature.… If you’ve touched it, you know the bell and how it sounds… that’s intended and that’s part of the art in the wailing piece,” Miltenberger said.
She also points out the “Pillars of Fulfillment,” a sculpture near the library that was constructed in honor of Lori Irving, who was, “…a beloved faculty member in psychology, and one of our founding faculty members at WSU Vancouver when she unexpectedly passed away,” Miltenberger said.
“She was such an uplifter, such a supporter of female empowerment… her family wanted to recognize those wonderful characteristics about her, and commissioned the [organization,] Women Who Weld… for this wonderful dedication piece. Each of the pillars is done by a separate artist, and when it was completed, the pillars created so much joy and happiness, and a place to go and honor her and her family,” Miltenberger said.
Sculptures, objects and the stories within them exist all around campus. From behind the walls to the trails in between, there are always secrets to uncover through the artworks at WSU Vancouver.
Arabelle is a senior studying English at WSU Vancouver.