WNMU Dedicates New Sculpture with Ribbon-Cutting Event

Western New Mexico University held a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony in honor of the university's newest and largest public sculpture, Dec. 12, 2024. The event celebrated Professor Emeritus Michael Metcalf's newly installed work, Collaboration: The Student's Journey.

WNMU President Joseph Shepard opened the dedication by addressing why public art is so important to the university. "The arts," said Shepard, "are what make us human. … The arts are about moving beyond your current generation."

Shepard noted that Metcalf had made a profound difference to WNMU intellectually, artistically, and as a colleague. "Today," he said, Metcalf "gets to make an indelible difference for generations to come with his artwork."

After thanking all the people that helped bring about the sculpture, Metcalf spoke about his inspiration for creating it, the university's Applied Liberal Arts and Sciences program. "I was curriculum chair at the beginning of it, so I was very invested in the program," he explained.

Metcalf said that the suspended boulder at the center of the sculpture represented the student who attends WNMU, while the steel spires represent the university and the second boulder on the ground represents the student's family. But much of the sculpture's meaning, he said, is up to the individual viewer. Like other abstract art, he said, "This sculpture means different things to different people."

Metcalf concluded, "I hope that the sculpture helps students consider their individual goals when they begin their WNMU journey and again as they complete their WNMU journey."

More information about Collaboration can be found here.