‘The Fork’
Created by James Wentz in 1969 during the “Art-In-Situation” workshop in 1969, this untitled sculpture is the tallest on campus at 20 feet tall. The sculpture is made of wood, fiberglass and plastic and can be found between King Hall and the Leadership Studies Building. While most students call the statue a fork or spork (and some a Wildcat paw), others argue that it resembles a king chess piece, which may make sense considering its location, right outside King Hall.
‘Trapezoid’
Nick Zack created this untitled sculpture as part of the “Art-in-Situation” workshop in 1969. Located in the Coffman Commons, the sculpture was meant to bring color to the campus thanks to the stainless steel disk. The sculpture is meant to resemble a pregnant woman lying down. Students can fit inside the sculpture but only in the fetal position, to resemble a child in the womb.
“The disc will provide a smooth mirrored surface which will reflect the morning and afternoon sun,” Zack said in an interview in the July 23, 1969, edition of The Kansas State Collegian. “Various colors will also be reflected from the disc.”
‘The Twister’
Constructed in 2012, this untitled sculpture memorializes the 2008 tornado that hit the K-State campus, damaging buildings and destroying more than 200 trees that were planted between 1890-1900. Located east of Bushnell Hall, the sculpture was designed by horticulture students as part of a class project.
Hard Work
Created by Barry West as part of the “Art-In-Situation” workshop, this aluminum sculpture can be found over the main entrance to Umberger Hall.
Ad Astra E. Terra
Latin for “from the earth to the stars,” the Havens Steel Company donated this sculpture located on the northwest side of Seaton Hall in 1988. The sculpture, meant to serve as a visual teaching aid, consists of 25 steel members and more than 144 bolts hold it in place.
A Kind Touch
Dedicated to K-State College of Veterinary Medicine alum Dr. Bob Kind, this sculpture of Kind with a boy and his dog, is located between Mosier and Trotter Halls. Sculptor David L. Spellerberg created the piece and it was donated by Kind’s wife Mary Lee Kind in 1999.
“A Kind Touch” located between Trotter and Mosier Halls, was created by David L. Spellerberg in May 1999. It stands in memory of Dr. Bob Kind and was donated by his wife Mary Lee Kind.
Spiral Jade
This sculpture, found just east of Kedzie Hall, was purchased by the university in 1976. Reverend Leland Lubbers created the piece by hammering a train axle and using a train wheel as the base. A similar piece by the artist can be found at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
William Alexander Harris Bust
This bust of the former U.S. Senator from Kansas is unique in that it memorializes a man who served as an adjutant general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War before moving to Kansas. The piece, found at the entrance to the north side of Fairchild Hall, was sculpted by Carlo Romanelli. University records are inconclusive of when it was created.
Kreqe-aekyed and Kqrefe-aekyad
The twin stainless steel sculptures, located west of Thompson Hall, were created by Douglas Abdell in 1980. The first sculpture was partially paid for by The Price R. and Flora A. Reid Foundation and the second sculpture was later donated to the university by the foundation.
‘Beach Chandelier’
Hanging prominently in the lobby of the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art, this twisted original glass sculpture was acquired by the university in 1996. Created by Washington state native Dale Chihuly, the piece weighs 300 pounds, measures 12 feet in length and greets all visitors of the museum.
