TCC Installed Sculpture Art in Downtown Tulsa
Published
The face of Tulsa Community College’s Metro Campus changed with the addition of a major art installation at the Center for Creativity. Three outdoor granite sculptures were placed in front of the building at 910 S. Boston.
The installation took place Monday, Sept. 30. The process used a large crane and shut down a portion of Boston Avenue to move the outdoor sculptures into place. The granite pieces weigh anywhere between one to five tons.
“For 40 plus years, TCC has been a proud contributor to the landscape of downtown Tulsa,” said TCC President Tom McKeon. “I believe the TCC Metro Campus is one of the front doors to our downtown business district and we wanted to enhance the visual landscape of the south part of downtown.” McKeon added when the Center for Creativity opened in fall 2009, it was the first new building in the south end of downtown in many years. The building was designed to participate in street life with its transparent and integrated outdoor spaces. Now, the outdoor art sculptures reflect the energy and creativity of the Center for Creativity.
TCC purchased “Spirit Las Mesas”and “Broken Earth”by artist Jesus Moroles and “Heart and Soul”by artist Candyce Garrett from the estate of Dr. Simon “Si” Levit, a Tulsa cardiologist who passed away in 2012. Moroles is a well-known granite sculptor who resides in Rockport, Texas. His works include the “Floating Mesa Fountain" at the Albuquerque Museum in New Mexico, "Lapstrake" at the E.F. Hutton, CBS Plaza in New York City, and the "Houston Police Officers Memorial.”
Moroles traveled to Tulsa to oversee the art installation at TCC’s Metro Campus. TCC also worked with Selser Schaefer Architects (Center for Creativity architects) and Belger Cartage Service on the project.
The three granite sculptures were purchased for nearly $200,000 in accordance with the Oklahoma Art in Public Places program. The Oklahoma Art in Public Places, signed into law in 2004, requires 1.5% of the cost of construction or renovation of state owned public buildings to be incorporated into public art.