The UCF Art in State Buildings Program, (AiSB) would like to announce a new Artwork Installation “Cyclorama”, located outside the Performing Arts Center between the UCF Theater and Music buildings.

The Art in State Buildings program acquires artwork for new public facilities built with state funds, either by commissioning an artist in a “call to artist,” or by purchasing a piece of Artwork. In this case, for this project, a nationwide “call to artists” was sent out and of the 117 entries received, our (AiSB) committee chose Joe O’Connell and Blessing Hancock from Creative Machines http://www.creativemachines.com/Contact/Public_Art.pdf, two very talented professional public Artists, to commission a piece of Artwork for the Performing Arts Center.

The Artists describe “Cyclorama” as a series of four sculptures that from a distance suggest a “contemporary stage set”. The public should know that it was intentional that the sculptures be placed amongst the live oak trees between the Theater and Music buildings. The Artists hoped that the sculptures would invite people to enjoy the relationship between the trees and the shapes and forms of the sculptures. According to the Artists, the sculptures tell archetypal stories in abstract form. “As people see both the small-scale detail of our sculptures and the large-scale relationships between them, they may reflect on the origins of storytelling, theater, music and scenery.”

It’s obvious that this project was well thought out. The Artists even made sure that the sculptures could be enjoyed at night. “Cyclorama” is lit by some of the World’s brightest LEDs which cast sharp colored shadows among the sculptures and people interacting with them.

The UCF Art in State Buildings Program hopes that “Cyclorama” will help to bring more attention to the other Public Artwork on UCF. A large number of impressive works have been and continue to be installed on UCF because of the AiSB program.  Anyone who hasn’t done so yet, should be sure to check out “Hermes Gate” by Artist Dale Enochs at the UCF Recreation Center and “Axiom” by Kristin Jones and Andrew Ginzel inside the UCF Physical Sciences building.  

It’s because of the UCF Art in State Buildings program, that UCF has new and exciting Public Artwork. Be sure to check back this fall and see what Beth Ravitz, the Artist commissioned for the Morgridge Reading Center, has created!

Contact: Diane Daugherty, UCF AiSB Coordinator

Diane.daugherty@ucf.edu