Public art sculptures installed on OSU-Cascades campus

A trio of natural basalt stone sculpture compositions created by artist Masayuki Nagase will be celebrated next week as the first exterior, commissioned public art installations on the Oregon State University–Cascades campus.

An event to introduce the artwork to the public will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 4, in Tykeson Hall, Room 111 on the Bend campus. The event will offer guests an opportunity to view works of art — including paintings, drawings and prints — purchased through the Percent for Art program and on view in Tykeson and Obsidian Halls, and OSU-Cascades’ residence hall.

Nagase’s sculptures were commissioned by OSU-Cascades through the Oregon Arts Commission’s Percent for Art program.

“The role of public art on a university campus is significant,” said Becky Johnson, vice president of OSU-Cascades. “Yuki Nagase’s amazing sculptures and the existing works of art displayed at OSU-Cascades help bring cultural relevance and a sense of place to our campus, and celebrate artists as important contributors in our society.”

During the celebration, Nagase will discuss his inspiration for the sculptures and his views on the role of public art in enhancing connections and communication within communities.

Nagase’s sculptural compositions are intended to create inviting spaces that encourage community and campus interaction, support OSU-Cascades’ commitment to sustainability of natural resources, and unify the campus design within the larger natural environment.

A composition near Tykeson Hall consists of columns carved of basalt with relief patterns that explore the energy of water. Relief patterns carved into a composition of three vertical stone columns near the residence hall represent the energy of wind.

The third composition — stone benches and polished boulders set in a natural area between Obsidian Hall and Chandler Avenue – resulted from ideas shared during discussions held with students and faculty early in Nagase’s design process.

Originally from Kyoto, Japan, Nagase studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tokyo before completing an apprenticeship in traditional stone carving. Now a California resident, he has worked as a sculptor for more than 40 years, both internationally and in the U.S. His artwork can be found at San Francisco General Hospital, Portland State University, Louisiana State University, University of Arizona, University of Northern Colorado and the Palo Alto Transit Center.

Following remarks from Johnson and Nagase, guests will be invited to stroll the campus and view the sculpture compositions with the artist.

Oregon’s Percent for Art program is dedicated to the enhancement of public environments and the improvement of the character and quality of state buildings. It sets aside no less than one percent of funds budgeted for a building’s construction for the acquisition of artwork in all state building construction plans with budgets over $100,000.

To learn more about public art on the OSU-Cascades campus, visit osucascades.edu/publicart.