Looking for a fun way to explore campus? I’ve found the perfect solution! The William Benton Museum of Art is hosting an Art and Sculpture Hunt that can be done right from your phone. This 45 minute scavenger hunt will not only force you to explore campus, but also teach you important information about the art sculptures that students walk by everyday.
I personally chose the South Campus Hunt, where I explored the main area of campus and areas by Storrs center. The first stop on my list was the “Crisscross XVI,” a sculpture by Larry Mohr done in 1984. Mohr is “an accomplished sculptor whose figural and abstract works are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Georgia Museum of Art, Vassar College and the Herbert F. Johnson Museum at Cornell University.” The Crisscross XVI can be found right in front of Wilbur Cross.
One of my favorite features of the scavenger hunt is the blurb of information that appears on the Google Form after you have guessed the correct answer. While of course art is always beautiful, it is even more beautiful when one knows the meaning behind the piece. It gives a sense of connection to the campus and why administrators chose the pieces they did. Rather than ignoring the amazing art that I am surrounded by everyday, I can learn to appreciate the history behind the sculptures and what they truly represent.
One sculpture that I always walked by but never recognized was “Stone Book Universe” by Anna Maria Kubach-Wilmsen and Wolfgang Kubach. This piece is located outside the back entrance of Homer B. library, right in the middle of the Dodd Center plaza. The sculpture weighs 12 tons and the green granite used was “quarried in Finland and carved in Italy.” Wolfgang and his wife were known for their exquisite sculptures of books and scrolls made out of stones found all over the world.
My favorite sculpture out of the bunch is “Dove tower and Inverted Pyramid.” I was always fascinated by the inverted pyramid for a variety of reasons. The piece was done by Ilan Averbuch in 2004 and can be found in between the Information Technology Building and the Recreation Center. The Inverted Pyramid is meant to offer “a quiet and contemplative place to rest in,” while the Dove Tower “unsettles us” due to its leaning nature.
It’s sad to believe that the past three years I have walked by numerous sculptures and never knew the meaning behind them. The Art and Sculpture Hunt is the perfect way to learn more about UConn’s campus, while also having fun. You can use it as a 45 minute workout, a stroll with friends or simply a nature break in between classes. If you do complete either the North Hunt or the South Hunt, make sure to take a selfie with the works of art and share them with benton@uconn.edu. This will give you a chance to enter a daily drawing through September 12. Happy hunting!
