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There’s plenty of buildings that take up the sights outside at Penn State, but what about the other structures? The statues? The sculptures?
You’ll come to find that there’s actually plenty of both around campus, too. But how much do you know about the history behind them? Probably not much. That’s where we come in, folks.
Without further ado, let’s get into some of the statues and sculptures.
Old Main Armillary Sphere
Known to some as the “Old Main Turtle,” this sphere is a gift from the Class of 1966. It’s an armillary sphere an instrument used to show the position of the sun when it’s rising and setting. The astronomical tool’s origins originally date back all the way to the 4th century when it was created by Chinese astronomers.
Every summer since I was in middle school, I remember coming up to Penn State for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of Arts â looking at art, feeling the summer heat and an overall feeling of belonging at Penn State long before coming to this school.
Because the annual Arts Fest was canceled last year and recently was canceled this year, too, I have not gotten the chance to experience it for a couple of years now. I miss seeing the art and the whole experience.
That prompted me to search for some places that have art to view or purchase around the area and online.
To showcase the cohesion between art and poetry, the Palmer Museum of Art and its guest curators designed the exhibition âField Language: The Painting and Poetry of Warren and Jane Rohrer.â
This exhibition was temporarily closed due to maintenance issues, but it is now open to the public as of Wednesday.
Available until June 6, this special exhibition gallery displays the work of spouses Warren Rohrer, a painter, and Jane Rohrer, a poet, to depict Mennonite lifestyle in modern art, according to the Palmer.
Julia Spicher Kasdorf, an English professor at Penn State, first met the Rohrers in 1993 and decided in 2017 to explore an exhibition idea that melded both of their works.
The painting titled âHot Springs at Yellowstoneâ dates back to 1889.
Tyler Grafton Brown is an African American artist who painted during the late 1800s and is considered one of the first and best Black professional artists on the West Coast, according to the University of Victoria.
Erin M. Coe, director of the Palmer Museum of Art, said the museumâs acquisition of the painting is important for the museum.
ââHot Springs at Yellowstoneâ is the first painting by a nineteenth-century African American artist to enter the museumâs collection,â Coe said. âThe acquisition is a vital component of our goal for advancing diversity, equity, access and inclusion at the museum, which is a high strategic priority for both the Palmer Museum and the College of Arts and Architecture.â