Feature: The New Hannah Sculpture and Public Art on Campus
A new wave of public art on campus will begin with a John A. Hannah sculpture in redesigned Hannah Plaza.
Few things endure in the memories of MSU alumni more than the beautiful campus where they spent their student days.
Soon, that Eden-like environment will be dramatically enhanced by a series of new public art. These new works will not only add to overall aesthetics, but they will also reflect enduring themes, people and events from Michigan State’s distinctive history.
The first of these will be a statue of MSU’s legendary John A. Hannah (see “John A. Hannah, MSU’s Greatest President,” Spring 1991), the president most responsible for turning a regional agricultural college into today’s world-class, research-intensive university.
“We need something on campus to recognize Dr. Hannah’s role and tell some of his story—something that would last beyond the memory of people who knew him well,” explains President Peter McPherson, noting the unanimous support for it from MSU trustees.
After a national search, the Hannah sculpture has been commissioned to California artist Bruce Wolfe. “He’s renowned for capturing the character and strength of his subjects,” notes Chuck Webb, vice president for university development.
The new statue, to be completed in 2003, will become the focal point of the Hannah Plaza in front of the Hannah Administration Building. Says Webb, “The area will be redesigned and landscaped to create a harmonious setting for the work of art. We’re all very excited, and we anticipate that we will have the ground-breaking for this first project this fall.”
The $250,000 project includes an endowment for the artwork’s perpetual care. The sculpture and endowment will be funded completely through private donations. To show their strong support, McPherson and Webb each has donated $10,000 towards this endowment, the first of the “New Public Art on Campus” initiative.
“We’re looking to commission more art in the future,” explains McPherson. “We want to capture the major, enduring themes and events that underscore MSU and its rich history. The art can focus on significant people, or significant symbols or events.”
“The works must possess high artistic value and perhaps reflect the distinctive characteristics of an approach, style or technique,” adds Tim Soule, the lead university development officer for this project. “All the people we’ve approached about this so far have been very excited by the vision. A number of our Trustees Emeriti and former executive officers have joined President McPherson and Vice President Webb in making leadership gifts to the sculpture fund.”
Last September, former trustee Barbara Sawyer-Koch and professor emeritus Don Koch, also $10,000 donors to the project, sent a solicitation letter to her trustee emeriti colleagues.
“I am very excited,” says Sawyer-Koch. “I personally knew John Hannah and what he did for MSU. This project will ensure that we never forget his impact on this university and our society as a whole.”
As most Spartans probably know, John A. Hannah was MSU president from 1941-1969. In that period, he guided MSU through its greatest growth, as enrolment skyrocketed from 6,000 to more than 40,000. He acquired land, built buildings, strengthened the athletics program, strategically nursed MSU’s entry into the prestigious Big Ten Conference, and expanded MSU’s global horizons.
Hannah became one of the giants of American higher education in the 20th Century, but his legend does not stop there. He served the nation as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense. He was instrumental in moving American society towards integration as the first chairperson of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (see cover story, Winter 1989). He led the fight against world hunger while serving as administrator of AID (see cover story, September 1974), a post that current MSU president McPherson later served as well.
When Hannah died in 1991, these prescient words were spoken during a eulogy:
“Someday there will be no one left on campus who ever met John Hannah. On that campus, beautiful flower and trees will grow and the Red Cedar will flow. New generations will gather beneath the pines. Homecomings and commencements will come and go. New families will move in and out of Cowles House. New science and technologies to serve people on Earth and beyond will reach out from a university that once—in a time long, long ago—was a small midwestern agricultural college that never lost its heart or its soul.
“Yes, there will be a campus community that never met John and Sarah Hannah. And, like ten angels contradicting the facts, it will make not an iota of difference. For the soul of Michigan State University, John Hannah’s University, will live on.
“Because, the Hannahs will be here. They will always be here.”
YOU CAN HELP
If you are interested in making a gift to the Hannah sculpture project, contact Tim Soule toll-free at 800-232-4678 or via email at souleti@msu.edu. Donors who contribute Leadership Gifts ($10,000 payable over five years) will be recognized on a plaque in the Hannah Plaza, the site of the sculpture.