Advanced art students have been working all semester for the Commence 2015 sculpture project, a public art exhibition showcasing works done in three-dimensional forms. 

Students created their own concepts and ideas, in a variety of materials-bronze, wood, steel, plaster and ceramic are some of the materials used this morning. 

The course gives students real hands-on experience in what it’s like to propose public sculpture and build them.

“[Commencement sculpture project] definitely gives you insight into what is necessary when you install art pieces in the public sphere,” said Dino Sbardellati, art student. “It was a whole entire process. We had to choose where to install, we had to choose what we wanted to install, we had to provide scale models and project proposals.”

Eleven students have been working all semester in Commencement Sculpture, a class taught by Jann Nunn. 

“ I started teaching here in 1999, and it’s always been my focus to do exhibitions, either on or off campus,” said Nunn. “Commencement sculpture project grew out of that.” 

Bachelor of fine art students in the Commence 2015 sculpture project includes James Blake, who built “Print Cart,” a working and portable wood block printing state, Briona Rachelle, who built “Thumb’s Up, Seven Up” a life size bronze figure playing the traditional child’s game thumb’s up seven up, Jessica Levey who built “Tunnel of Love, a sculpture out of steel and ceramic, and Andrew Scanlon who built “Holons,” a sculpture out of steel rings towering up. 

Bachelor of Arts students including Martin Gilbertson, who built “Go North” a sculpture made of corten steel and redwood, Eduardo Hernandez, who built “Somebody” out of plaster and steel, Victoria Helena Mihatovic, who built “Monolith 16.9.3,” tall steel sculpture associated with the prison system, Jessica Noyes, who built “Pyramidal Biomes” out of steel, terminal cable and plants, Dino Sbardellati, who built “Planetary Husk” out of steel, Sean Patrick Shadduck, who built “Tribute to Hashimoto” out of wood, steel and nylon, and Michael Walton, who built “Dai 3 no keiro geto~ei,” made out of wood and metal. 

“I wanted to represent knowledge in my piece,” said Sbardellati. “It’s a commentary on humans and how we use knowledge.”

Most sculptures have been up since last week, but many like Blake’s “Print Cart” will only be on display and operation during commencement day. The artist reception and Briona Rachelle’s life size bronze sculpture has yet to be installed. 

“It was definitely a good experience to gain in becoming a professional artist,” said Rachelle. “We jumped a lot of hurdles of how to propose and install in a public space, and the hurdles you have to overcome.”

There will be a reception for the artists on Wednesday, May 13 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Art Building sculpture Courtyard, directly afterwards there will be a tour of the sculptures on campus at 6 p.m.