Over the past few weeks, many students have noticed the appearance of several new sculptures on Bucks’ Newtown campus. These recent installations are not the work of some artistic vandal, but instead are part of a new collaboration between the Hicks Art Center and several prominent local artists who, in the words of project curator Jennifer Garey, “have art everywhere”.
“Public art is essential to a diverse community by building opportunities for activating dialogue and providing a vehicle for the community to express its identity,” said Garey. With this spirit, this project was assembled by the Hicks Art Gallery director Fran Orlando and her exhibitions associate Jennifer Garey are intending to “utilize the display of outdoor sculpture to enhance the historically established art environment of Bucks County Community College.”
Sculptures have quietly been appearing across campus over the past several weeks in three different rounds. Works are typically realistic portrayals of people participating in various activities across campus. Ranging from a couple in Victorian outfits strolling across the lawn outside the Gateway Center to a group of children playing in front of the Science Center, these works are sourced from a variety of different institutions.
While they are not permanent installations, many are on long term loans for up to two years. Many of these sculptures come from the Grounds for Sculpture in New Jersey. The Seward Johnson Atelier also played a crucial role in finding works for this project, along with loans by individual artists.
Bucks is no stranger to public art installations. There has been a wide assortment of work displayed on campus for decades, and this tradition continues to this day.
Originally, the first pieces installed on the grounds that would later come to constitute Bucks County Community College were part of the Tyler Estate. Tyler Estate was constructed in the 1930s and is “arguably the grandest home ever built in Bucks County and believed to be the last of the great estates ever constructed in the United States”.
Tyler Manor was also home to noted sculptor Stella Tyler. Her work consists of numerous bronze sculptures of women, and many of these works can still be seen prominently in the Tyler Gardens.
From the foundations laid by Stella Tyler, many other artists have added their contributions to the college’s art inheritance. Works have been steadily added since the college was founded in 1964.
Several important occasions have been commemorated by art installations, namely the Creation Pole in front of the Science Center to mark Bucks 20th anniversary and the Building Blocks in Rollins for the 50th anniversary.
Jennifer Garey has high hopes for these installations. She hopes that adding artworks to Bucks campus can “give Bucks County a sense of pride in campus and community”. Her goal of the project is ultimately “to expand (this series of installations) to more Bucks campuses”. Garey urges interested students to “stay tuned” and be on the lookout for big things on the horizon for the Bucks art community.