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The Michigan Daily - Weekend etc. - February 6, 1992- Page 3
'Art'
by Renee Huckle
adds humor to engineers' days
Y ou thought your neighbors'
satellite dish was tacky. Well,
Alice Aycock is out to prove us all
wrong. Iier monstrous "sculpture"
looming before the Ilerbert Dow
Building on North Campus has
caught the intrigue of the most
oblivious engineers and has escaped
notice of the proliferation of art
students who populate the area. A
sick joke'? A post-modernist fluke?
Some folks along the road less taken
have some opinions to offer.
"I didn't know if it was art or a
mechanical contraption," said Engi-
neering student Kristin Missil.
Standing 32 feet high and 35 feet
wide, "Summaries of Arithmetic
Through Dust, Including Writing
Not Yet Printed," by American
sculptor Alice Aycock made its de-
but shortly after winter break.
This sculpture is just the first in
a series of works by contemporary
artists kicking off a newly initiated
program designed to culturally en-
rich North Campus.
As the contemporary sculpture
was assembled, Ii[w ineering senior
Tom Conrad said initially there was
a sense of anticipation in the air.
Yet, upon its completion, his ex-
citement turned to dismay. "I was
kind of excited when it was going
up," but said that he was disap-
pointed when the sculpture elided up
looking like a satellite dish.
University Art and
Architecture students were asked
for an insightful opinion on the
sculpture, but all replied that they
hadn't seen it.
Most students haven't extracted
a deep philosophical meaning from
the work, but they've definitely
seen familiar objects in its stark
steel appendages. IEngineering senior
Bob Serr said, "One part looks like
the corkscrew at Cedar Point com-
bined with a tuba."
Nicole Ilorne, an Engineering ju-
nior, said the structure reminded her
of playground equipment. "I told a
friend of mine if I were 5 years old,
I'd try to climb it," she said.
Engineering inior Scott
Lymburner is one of many students
who finds it difficult to extract any
meaning at all from the sculpture.
Lymburner said he first reacted
with, "What the hell is that!"
"I'm not much of an art fan,"
Lymburner explained. "I don't
know what it's supposed to repre-
sent."
For those who are art illiterate
or simply need help understanding
the significance of the structure's
components, Aycock has provided
her own interpretation, "These ele-
ments are taken from various two-
dimensional scientific diagrams
which attempt to explain various
aspects of the universe ... These
forms are pervasive in the art and
culture of many societies both past
and present."
Biut some students have more
practical concerns. "Can you get
MTV from it?" Bryan Caenepeel,
Natural Resources senior, asked.
Even for one who is familiar
Witli a variety of artists and their
works, it doesn't necessarily mean
they'll find all art appealing.
Michael McCalTery, a lab technician
for the Art school, said he doesn't
hold Ms. Aycock's work in high re-
gard. "I don't like her personally or
her work either," he said.
The sculpture, a gift from the
Engineering class of 1933, will be
dedicated next year on the 60th re-
union of the class, said Brad Canal,
director of development at the
Engineering school.
Lym burner wondered whether
the money could have been used for
something more worthwhile "I
don't know how much the thing
costs, but I think they might have
been able to do something else with
the money." Conrad wouldn't
release the sculpture's monetary
val tie.
L.ymburner also said it seems out
of place in North Campus' natural
environment. "It doesn 't really fit
in with anything up here.
Everything is so woodsy up here and
all of a sudden that's there and it
kind of sticks out," I ymburner said.
Despite his initial negative reac-
tion toward the new sculpture,
Lymburner said. "It dloes add some-
thing to the exterior of the build-
inc. It's something to look at."
Conrad agreed the sculpture adds
life to North Campus. "It's cer-
tainly interesting. It makes North
Campus more distinctive," he said.
But some students, especially
those in the Art and Architect ure
school are wonderin g why the
University chose to commission an
outsider to create the work instead
of choosing from the many faculty
and st udent graphic designers.
metalworkers, painters, who inhabit
North Campus.
Conrad su gwested that a contest
held by the Inginceri ng department
to commission a 1.trsi 'Ci'ty artist
woUld have been bettel' than of
bringing in an Outside artist.
K athryn Cle men ts, School of'
Natural Resources junior, who
walks by the sculpture three times a
week, said the artwork should have
been made out of waste products or
Are men really oppressed?
MEN
Continued from page 1
"The reaction to seeing a man cry is
much different than a woman crying.
If a man cries he could be seen as
effeminate, something removed from
masculinity," Schwalm said.
While this generalization is one
that often holds true, students like
Schwalm counter with more of the
same stuff. "Women can identify
their feelings and tune in their re-
sponses to situations. For a guy you
respond by being cool and detached.
I've been in situations where I felt
nothing, but I know I should," he
said.
Does Robert Bly conduct crying
workshops? Are men learning to cry
in support groups? If so, let those
tears flow. But who are they crying
for? When men are worried about
their reps, is it the other men or
women on the bus that they're wor-
ried about?
The Future
So what lies ahead for the Men's
movement?
"I think ten years from now some
of the things we see will be regarded
ing. By fighting for more rights we
can do more to stop our oppression."
"There's a lot of work to do and
it may take a long time, but hope-
fully the energy exerted by many
kinds of people in social change will
result in a society where many more
people are happy, not just certain
people with certain privileges,"
Powers said.
The concerns, fears and emotions
expressed by the men involved in the
movements are real, but some of the
results are scary to me. As a woman,
I feel frightened when men tell me
that they need more political power.
But at the same time, I can
empathize with the men in the
Mythopoetic movement and Pro-
feminist/Gay Affirmative movement
who are trying to define their roles
in society, just as I am trying to de-
fine mine.
Given the choice, would I still
want to be a man? Probably not.
SHARON MUSHER/Daily
Alice Aycock's work is a stark contrast to the Dow Building behind it.
recyclable objects. " lowever," she
added, "I'm trying to have a greater
appreciation for it each day.'
Clements said she approved of an
effort someone made to spruce up
the sculpture. "I really like the ad-
dition of the Budweiser box."
The sculpture, it nothing else,
has captuIred the attention of the
students freq Lien t in g North
Campus. Whether prompting a joke
or an intellectual conversation, the
new sculpture has lightened the
atmosphere for students.
Conrad added, "It's a source of
humor ainong a less humorous eng-
neering II)population.
as the fad of the '90s, but I hope that
what will last is a greater under-
standing of men," Garvin said.
Travis is still trying to remind us
what "understanding" is. "We need
each other and 'we need to get mov-
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