The latest piece of art on UCF’s main campus won’t last forever — by design. The “pop up” sculpture, a project by senior studio art major Lea Fales, is meant to exist only for a short period. “Untitled,” which Fales created over a five-week period for Associate professor Scott F. Hall’s intermediate sculpture class, was installed on a grassy terrace behind The Burnett Honors College on Feb. 3. Designed to interact with nearby trees, the piece was relocated to the School of Visual Arts & Design (SVAD) Feb. 4 and will finally be displayed in front of The Burnett Honors College Feb. 5.
“The temporary nature of this installation is a new concept for me,” she explained. “I am used to choosing materials with permanence in mind, considering the long-term effects of the elements, vandalism and maintenance.”
Hall, who encourages his students to consider site-specific sculptures for his class because the creation of public art is a viable career opportunity, said art pieces are installed up to four times a year around the SVAD.
“There’s been a wide variety,” Hall said. “The [sculptures] range from pieces that are more functional to those which are completely esoteric.”
“Public art is extremely important to communicate the culture of the community to the community in which it is found, as well as to visitors,” said Fales. “It can remind us of the past and inspire us for the future.”
Students passing by the first location had mixed reactions. Alexandra Galford, who witnessed the installation process while she was walking to class, was glad she got to see it before it was taken down. “UCF is really colorful with their art choices,” she said. “People are taking pictures of [the sculpture] and it looks good.”
Elyseo Mendoza appreciates how art like Fales’ adds a “spice” to the main campus. “I don’t know if this art installation means anything to me, but it probably means something to someone,” he said. “[Art] can turn something really mundane into something really special.”