Happy International Sculpture Day!
Each day, Davidson students, professors, staff, and community members alike encounter with fond familiarity the myriad of sculptures which bring to life countless campus spots. Whether working on an assignment in the Wall Center, heading into Commons for a meal, trekking to the library for a study session, or strolling through the VAC for class or a visit to the Galleries, members of our community can count on the presence of a sculpture to animate their chosen space.
Celebrated annually on the last Saturday in April, International Sculpture Day promotes the enjoyment and appreciation of sculptures globally. In recognition of the 9th annual ISDay, let’s celebrate some of the beautiful sculptures which play a vital role in providing the Davidson community with the privilege of engaging with art each day.
For brevity’s sake, this year, I will highlight only a few of the treasured sculptures which make up the Campus Sculpture Collection. Specifically, the survey of works below includes strictly those created by recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Sculpture. First implemented in 1991, the International Sculpture Center’s Board of Trustees annually recognizes outstanding individual artists whose work embodies technical mastery and deep devotion to advancing the field of sculpture. Though the award is only a few decades old, the Campus Sculpture Collection represents the work of six artists who have received this prestigious honor.
Magdalena Abakanowicz, The Group Of Ten, 2011. Bronze. 63.5 x 74 x 96 in (161.29 x 187.96 x 243.84 cm). Gift of the Artist; Pat and B.D. Rodgers; Linda and George Kelly, parents of Win Kelly, Class of 2002, and Madeline Kelly, Class of 2008; Katherine Belk-Cook; and Virginia Newell, Class of 1978.
Born in 1930, Magdalena Abakanowicz was a Polish artist known for her figural sculptures and textile art. Abakanowicz’s work typically focuses on human bodies, and often, these figures lack certain physical features, as exhibited by The Group of Ten. Abakanowicz, the 2005 award recipient, created over 1,000 sculptures during her lifetime. Read more about this sculpture in this blog post by Saskia Sheinkman ’25.
Beverly Pepper, Untitled Wedge, 1980. Steel. 26.25 x 11.25 x 7 in (66.68 x 28.58 x 17.78 cm). Gift of James G. Pepper, Class of 1965.
In her work as a sculptor, world-renowned American artist Beverly Pepper (1922-2020) frequently employed bronze, in addition to wood, cast iron, clay, steel, and stone. In 2013, Pepper received the 22nd Annual Lifetime Achievement in Sculpture award.
Jaume Plensa, Waves III, 2012. Stainless steel and stone. 98.5 x 75.5 x 131.5 in (250.19 x 191.77 x 334.01 cm). Gift of James G. Pepper, Class of 1965.
Born in Barcelona in 1955, Spanish artist Jaume Plensa is 2025’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Sculpture award. For over three prolific decades, Plensa has created sculptures which evoke connection and promote unity. Widely known for his public sculptures, Plensa’s work can be found throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Read more about Waves III in this blog post by Nike Keys ’28.
Joel Shapiro, Untitled, 1995. Bronze. 75 x 71 x 41 in (190.5 x 180.34 x 104.14 cm). Gift of the Artist and Katherine Belk.
American artist Joel Shapiro (b. 1941) received the Annual Lifetime Achievement in Sculpture award in 2015. His 1995 piece in Davidson’s sculpture garden embodies his signature work with bold, geometric forms and his interest in movement.
James Surls, Walking See Flower, 2001. Painted steel. 156 x 156 x 48 in (396.24 x 396.24 x 121.92 cm). Gift of John Andrew MacMahon, Class of 1995.
Born in Texas in 1943, American artist James Surls is the 2020 recipient of the Annual Lifetime Achievement in Sculpture award. Surls is a multidisciplinary artist, though he is best known for his sculptural works. As reflected in Walking See Flower, Surls creates captivating shapes in his work, relying on the communication of natural forms. Read more about this work in this blog post by Helen Sturm ’20.
William Tucker, Homage to Rodin, 1999. Bronze. 45 x 40 x 36 in (114.3 x 101.6 x 91.44 cm). Gift of the Class of 1993.
British sculptor William Tucker was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1935. The 2010 Annual Lifetime Achievement in Sculpture award recipient is known for creating organic sculptures whose form suggests the human figure or reflects sculptural tradition, including Homage to Rodin. Read more about this work in this blog post by Oliver Poduschnick ‘25.
April 26, 2025 is International Sculpture Day. Be sure to take advantage of the warm weather and enjoy the Outdoor Sculpture Collection! Head to Richardson Plaza to see the fantastic bronzes of Joel Shapiro and William Tucker in the sculpture garden. If you enjoy Tucker’s Homage to Rodin, check out Auguste Rodin’s Burghers of Calais, Jean d’Aire nu in the Visual Arts Center’s Missy Boaz Woodward ’73 Atrium. Enjoy Plensa’s sculpture on your way to Chambers, Surls’s as you walk by Commons, and Abakanowicz’s en route to the library.
Want to learn more about all the sculptures the campus has to offer? Check out these Sculpture Guides from the Davidson College Library!
– Heidi McGannon ’26