Dedicated to science The newest example of public art at the UI was dedicated during a ceremony Sept. 4 on the plaza just west of the university’s recently opened Institute for Genomic Biology. “Darwin’s Playground,” by Chicago artist Tony Tasset, consists of three brightly colored, irregularly shaped sculptures made of polyurethane with fiberglass coating. The free-standing sculptures range in height from 3 to 12 feet. Funding for the piece was provided through the Illinois Art-in-Architecture program, which requires the state’s Capital Development Board to reserve 1/2 of 1 percent of the construction appropriation for new or renovated public buildings for the purchase or commissioning of artwork. IGB director Harris Lewin, pictured above, said the art appropriately represents and reflects the science taking place within the walls of the institute, which opened in March. “In his work, Tasset captured the creativity of biologists and puts to form a radical view of the role modern biologists play in shaping, even creating life,” he said. At right, Jennifer Monson, environmental activist and choreographer, performs an interpretive dance at the dedication ceremony. Monson, who begins her faculty appointment at the UI in January, is known for her innovative projects that integrate the sciences and the arts.
photos by L. Brian Stauffer
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