New home for Dowie sculptures
by Charlotte Knottenbelt
A
series of sculptures originally created in the 1970s by renowned
Australian artist John Dowie will be installed in the new library
extension at Mawson Lakes, thanks to the generosity of 13 alumni and
friends of the University.
The Art of Learning sculptures, which represent the transferral of an idea to form through different cultures through history, were originally commissioned to complement the original library building at the then Levels campus of UniSA’s antecedent institution, the SA Institute of Technology.
Most of the sculptures were installed around the outside of the building and in the ground floor foyer in 1972, but at the time there was not enough space for all of them, and 13 were put into storage.
Now, with a $9 million expansion of what’s now known as the Sir Eric Neal Library underway as part of UniSA’s Blueprint 2005 capital works program, the 13 sculptures are set to find a fitting home.
The sculptures will be installed in a new glass atrium which will form a link between the original building and the library extension. (The building was originally designed to allow for a vertical extension, however this plan was shelved in favour of the new extension).
The sculptures’ installation was not originally factored into the Blueprint budget and was only made possible thanks to the donations of 13 alumni and friends of the University.
UniSA senior development officer, Robyn Brown, said she would like to thank Sir Eric Neal, who helped raise the funds required, as well as the donors themselves.
“It’s fantastic that future students will be able to view the sculptures in all their glory,“ she said.
As for the artist himself, at 89 Dowie is still sculpting, and looking forward to seeing the 13 sculptures in their new home. “I’m really very pleased that the University is doing this, and I’ll be most interested to see them when they’re unveiled,“ he said.