Monoliths

Deborah Masters with art students, 1990

Art students, under the direction of New York artist Deborah Masters, spent the 1990 spring semester designing and constructing 19 monoliths for the campus. Erected outside Ayres Hall, the cast concrete sculptures are reminiscent of prehistoric stone monuments albeit with a contemporary twist. The students were given some general guidelines, particularly that the designs should fit comfortably in natural surroundings. Each of the students took a unique approach to creating their own monoliths, starting with sketches and designs. One student chose to depict a snake adorning each side of the pillar, while another column takes the form of a woman dancing with a baby. Deborah Masters chose to illustrate a view from her New York apartment etched into the concrete.

The sculptures were constructed from plaster casts, which were then filled with concrete. Once the concrete set, a giant crane was used to lift the monoliths onto previously prepared platforms, and the plaster molds were carefully chipped away.

For more information about Deborah Masters, visit the artist’s website at www.deborahmasters.com.