Art at theNate undergoing conservation work

A fiberglass dome outside on the Governors State University campus

Working on the Failed Utopia 2006
A red columnar sculpture outside on the Governors State University campus

Butte 1979
A white-painted house sculpture outside on the Governors State University campus

House Divided 1983
Several wood posts organized in a clock-like formation outside on the Governors State University campus

Field Rotation 1981
People walking around Avian Station sculpture at Governors State University Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park. Photo taken by Rena Naltsas

Avian Station

Many sharp-eyed Jaguars may have noticed that some of the sculptures on Governors State University’s (GovState) campus have been under renovation or even removed temporarily.

Not to worry, the art pieces are getting some much needed TLC in the form of touch-ups and repairs to ensure the art can withstand the outdoor elements and look its best. The team at the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park (theNate) greatly appreciates all the donations that have made these efforts possible.

“Working on the Failed Utopia” by Christine Tarkowski, the dome located near GovState’s D-Building main entrance, has already been disassembled and taken to a fiberglass workshop for resurfacing.

Another piece that was briefly removed, “Butte” by Barry Tinsley, returned to its place near the path to Prairie Place after it was sandblasted and repainted.

Concrete repairs, cleaning and a new coating were applied to “House Divided” by Bruce Nauman, the white structure near GovState’s east entrance.

Near East Lot 1, “Field Rotation” by Mary Miss is getting a major excavation of the central mound to secure its retaining walls and install water barriers. Some of the weathered and degraded wood elements will be replaced, while the metal components will be stripped, primed, and repainted.

The recently installed “Avian Station” by Bernard Williams, the white viewing deck seen near the tree line beyond the lake, needs paint touch ups to be in top condition.

While not a sculpture, “The Butterfly Ranch,” the 12-acre prairie near “Avian Station,” will have a controlled burn this month to maintain the health of the prairie natives and mitigate invasive species.

Interested in helping preserve the art in theNate? Click here to donate to theNate’s conservation efforts to help maintain the beauty of the sculptures.