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The Pullman campus was transformed for a couple of months during
the fall of 2004, parts of it dramatically, with bronze
representational sculpture, which, though drawn from various
artists and locations around the country, was all cast at the Walla
Walla Foundry.
Founded in 1980 by Mark Anderson, the Walla Walla Foundry is one
of the most prominent fine-art bronze casting facilities in the
country. Artists such as Jim Dine, Deborah Butterfield, John Buck,
Marilyn Lysohir, and Terry Allen, all of whom were represented in
the campus transformation, have their work cast at the foundry.
Dine's Technicolor Heart was placed on Stadium Way across
from the French Administration Building. His Column with Axe
stood on Terrell Mall between Wilson Hall and the Compton Union
Building. And his Venuses, variations of which are based on
the ancient Venus de Milo, resided at the end of Terrell
Mall. One of Butterfield’s starkly dramatic Horses stood
along Stadium Way near Bustad Hall. Lysohir’s Tattooed Lady
stood next to Wilson Hall. Rude’s A World Beyond sat in
front of Bustad. Allen’s whimsical Book sat in front of
Holland Library, of course. John Buck's Red Horse Capture occupied
the Todd Hall plaza opposite Holland. Most dramatically, Tom
Otterness’s three giant hay bale figures (Makin’ Hay)
oversaw campus from Observatory Hill. In all, 31 sculptures resided
on 13 different sites across campus.
The outdoor exhibition coincided with a show of Dine’s work in
the WSU Museum of Art. Dine is one of the leading figures in
contemporary art. He lives in New York, Paris, and Walla Walla.
Soon after Chris Bruce, the new Museum of Art director, arrived,
curator Keith Wells suggested the idea of an exhibit focusing on
the foundry. Bruce grabbed the idea and ran with it. Bruce, who
came to WSU last year from Seattle’s Experience Music Project, and
before that from the Henry Art Gallery, has proved himself
incapable of thinking small. He has also produced a book about the
work of the foundry.
The sculptures graced the campus through October 2004. Through a
combination of private donations and purchase by the Washington
State Arts Commission, three of the works have remained on campus
permanently. These include Dines's Technicolor Heart,
Rude's A World Beyond, and Buck's Red Horse
Capture.
Washington State Magazine Home
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Jim Dine
Technicolor Heart, 2004
Painted bronze
Photo by George Bedirian
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