Baton Rouge, Louisiana (WAFB) — The Louisiana Authority for Cultural Development, the Department of Arts and the Percentage of Arts program have joined LSU officials to pay tribute to the latest sculpture installed on the Baton Rouge campus today. Created by artist John Fleming, Reflectivity is a living oak that remains an iconic symbol of the LSU campus. Located outside the LSU Bookstore in Union Square, this sculpture showcases the essence of a living oak whose mirrored canopy reflects the life of LSU. According to Fleming, Reflectivity is a landmark, a gathering place that provides shade, and its mirrored back is a true reflection of all of us.
Created as part of the Percent for Arts program, Reflectivity is in line with the University’s commitment to the creation, preservation, dissemination and application of knowledge and the advancement of the arts. The reflectivity consists of 20 stainless steel mirror panels held by four galvanized steel “trees”. Elbows made of galvanized steel pass through the annular slots in the stainless steel canopy. Each branch supports a spoke in the beam structure above. The round wooden curve at the bottom provides a place to sit in the shade. At night, the sculpture comes to life under two LED lights under the bench.
John Fleming is an artist based in Seattle whose art is based on respect for the natural world, recycling, recycling and reusing everyday materials. He currently has sculptures in several states including Washington, Oregon, Iowa, Wyoming, New Mexico and now Louisiana. His portfolio includes public art sculpture, architecture, gallery installations and environmental art.
“One might ask: “How does an outsider create art for places they have never been? As an outsider, I thought that perhaps a new look might reveal things that had been forgotten or taken for granted. I started reading everything I could, everything I could find.” about Baton Rouge and LSU. I looked through old and new photographs, maps and aerial photographs. What really stood out to me were the live oaks. I was able to capture this in my art The essence of these trees? My first thought was to abstract the shape of the living oak,” said artist John Fleming. “The more I thought about it, the more I felt that I needed to go beyond mere abstraction. The important thing seemed to be the experience of moving under these canopies. From the sun, into the shade. The pattern cast on the ground. I could create a dome, to reflect the dance we all go through as we go downstairs? This is my real discovery, coming from a whole new perspective. I call it reflection.”
The Art Percentage Act of 1999 provides that whenever a state agency budget spends more than $2 million of public funds on the construction or renovation of public buildings, 1 percent of the funds must be used to acquire, preserve, or restore and in public works of art. installed in a building or on a display site. The arts percentage program is administered by the Arts Department of the Louisiana Cultural Development Authority in cooperation with the Administration Division and the Office of Facilities Planning and Control.
The Louisiana Arts Percentage Program provides an improved community environment for Louisiana residents, raises awareness of the state’s and its residents’ cultural heritage, attracts visitors to the state, and creates economic opportunities for public art, artists, and related industries and industries. preparation.