BHSU Installs Three New Outdoor Sculptures

Black Hills State University has recently completed the installation of three new outdoor sculptures on campus created by artist and BHSU Professor of Art Bridget Beck. 

The sculptures, “Variations on a Pelican,” “Orange Peel,” and “Princess Rainbow Face,” are the first in a new yearly rotation of outdoor art pieces to be featured on the university’s campus. Each piece stands approximately eight feet tall and is constructed from reclaimed steel propane tanks pieced together in a quilt-like manner, exhibiting Beck's commitment to sustainability and creative reuse. 

“It is great to be the first artist to occupy the three new sculpture pads on campus in what I hope to be a long future of outdoor art at Black Hills State University,” said Beck. “Once the sculptures went up, it was fun to see students and faculty react to these new artworks. I think they surprise people in the midst of their daily routine. That is sculptural success to me.”

“Variations on a Pelican,” located in front of the faculty parking lot, uses layers of brightly painted metal pieces to create a type of three-dimensional painting that resembles stained glass. The shapes and colors of the sculpture allude to the form of an abstracted pelican.  

“Orange Peel,” which sits between the Facilities Office and the Young Center, explores the process of peeling an orange.  Layers of curvilinear shapes are frozen outside of the center section, and the orange appears to collapse and expand as the viewer moves around the sculpture.

“Princess Rainbow Face,” located on the ridge by the roundabout near Humbert Hall, began with an abstract stained-glass face of a princess. The gown and body of the figure are rusted, showing the propane tanks it is created from, and the folds of the gown are made from hundreds of discarded bolts. The delicate rainbow stained-glass face sits inside a steel hood. “These stark opposites attempt to show a more complicated depiction of a woman,” said Beck. 

Beck’s sculptures will remain on display for approximately one year. The BHSU Art Department plans to feature new outdoor art pieces every year, with established outdoor sculpture artists as the focus for the next rotation. 

“In the future, it is certainly a possibility for student work to occupy these spaces. The Art Department is considering this option and potential special topics classes to facilitate outdoor sculpture creation,” added Beck.