Sculptures On Display
Peter Voulkos (1924-2002)
A native of Montana, Voulkos was an apprentice mold maker for engine castings, before being drafted into the Army during WWII. On leaving the Army, he attended Montana State College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in art. He become focused on ceramics, and pursued graduate studies at the California College of Arts and Crafts. Voulkos went on to teach at Black Mountain College, the Otis Art Institute and the University of California, Berkeley. Voulkos is often credited with laying the groundwork for the “clay revolution” of the 20th century. He used traditional pottery techniques to create large scale sculptures, merging craft and art, and challenging the understanding of what ceramics could be.
http://www.voulkos.com/core.html
In 2003, six sculptures by Voulkos were placed on loan by Roger Arvid Anderson (’68), throughout the Berry addition of Baker-Berry Library. Books about Peter Voulkos, can be found in the Dartmouth College Library Catalog.
Bruce Beasley (1939- )
Born in Los Angeles, Bruce Beasley first studied art at Dartmouth College, before transferring to Berkeley in 1959. He is recognized as a most innovative sculptor, and studied with Peter Voulkos at Berkeley, whose work can also be seen on display in Baker-Berry Library. His work is based on technical experimentation, and is influenced by the study of elementary structures, especially the structure of crystals. Beasley also became one of the first artists to incorporate computer assisted design technology in his work, in 1988. His large scale sculpture in cast bronze, aluminum, steel, acrylic and scrap iron, has been exhibited around the world, and his personal world travels and explorations have provided inspiration for his work.
During his travels, Beasley built a personal collection of Oceanic and African Art, and donated many of these original source items to the Hood Museum of Art. A series of five sculptures exploring geometric modules, have been displayed at Baker-Berry Library since 2003, and are part of the Hood Museum of Art’s collection, through the generosity of Edward (’68) and Liliane Schneider (DP ’07). Another Beasley sculpture is the gift of Alan B. Gazzaniga (’58). Books about Bruce Beasley can be found in the Dartmouth College Library Catalog.