Sculpture dedicated in Life Sciences Center

The Joy of Discovery is a four-story sculpture created by Kenneth vonRoenn.

By Kathleen Pointer

Published Sept. 28, 2007

As people gathered Tuesday in the McQuinn Atrium of the Life Sciences Center, The Joy of Discovery, a four-story sculpture created by artist Kenneth vonRoenn, drew their attention skyward.

"I know it's hard to look down here, as there's an awful lot to look at up there," Life Sciences Center Director Jack Schultz said.

Al and Mary Agnes McQuinn, for whom the atrium is named, donated $300,000 to the project.

VonRoenn was detained in a Louisville, Ky., airport and could not attend the ceremony, and an attempt to allow vonRoenn to speak via teleconference failed.

VonRoenn said Wednesday he was disappointed he was unable to make it to the dedication. He said he had hoped to thank the McQuinns for their generosity, the MU personnel with whom he worked, his team and to dedicate the statue to his daughter, Page, who helped with the project.

"I hope that it adds some visual interest to everybody's daily work there and that they discover new things in looking at it," vonRoenn said. "I hope it gives them a sense of happiness and joy in the way the piece interacts with the light, and they not only have this physical connection, but that they are mentally engaged with it as well."

VonRoenn was one of 158 artists who submitted portfolios for review to the committee that selected which artist would create the sculpture.

The committee selected eight artists to submit more detailed applications and, finally, two finalists to submit models.

VonRoenn and the other finalist received $12,500 to make models.

"He just got it," Mary Agnes McQuinn said. "It clicked with him, and that was evident from the initial process. He was prepared to fill a large space very well."

His ability to fill the large space was part of what attracted the committee to him.

"I think what we liked about him was that he was willing to incorporate both sides of the atrium," Selection Committee Chairman Bill Bondeson said.

Bondeson said the committee was impressed with vonRoenn's credentials.

VonRoenn has a master's degree in architecture from Yale University and is the president of Architectural Glass Art, Inc.

His previous projects include the world's largest glass sculpture in Charlotte, N.C.

"He is truly a well thought of and well exhibited artist," Bondeson said. "He swims with the big fishes."

Bondeson said vonRoenn's dedication was apparent early when, two days before his scheduled presentation to the committee, he was in a motorcycle accident and had to be hospitalized in the intensive care unit.

VonRoenn sent two of his assistants and the model to Columbia.

The committee teleconferenced with vonRoenn from his hospital room.

Al McQuinn and Bondeson both commented on the time and effort vonRoenn put into the sculpture and his ability to draw the sciences into the creation of the piece.

"He gave $25,000 back for updating the sculpture," Al McQuinn said. "It's an unusual thing for an artist to do. He put in more effort and work on the sculpture than he ever charged for it."

The sculpture includes eight discs with magnified microscopic images of projects being worked on in the center.

Researchers will periodically change the discs to reflect the current research in the laboratory.

"Looking at the images of the research, it became apparent they would need to be updated at some point, and I felt that the concept of the work be to include the new research that is being done," vonRoenn said. "It is a continuing process. If we kept the same images up for 50 years, it would become a historical piece and I felt the work should be ongoing and should continue to represent the research in order (to) stay contemporary."

Bondeson said the piece is designed to look similar to an abstract form of the double helix and incorporates light into the design.

"It's not just about the piece, but about the light patterns on the wall," Bondeson said.

Al McQuinn said his appreciation for his education is part of the reason he felt motivated to donate to MU, and he hopes the piece of art will add to the atmosphere of the building.

"I hope it brings inspiration," Al McQuinn said. "I felt this was a location that a piece of appropriate art could have more than an entertaining aspect, but an inspirational aspect. Anytime you can elevate people's emotions, in this case with a piece of art, it has value."

Bondeson said although public art is bound to receive criticism, the public and researchers in various labs have reacted positively so far.

"We really think it's great," Bondeson said. "We're tickled to death about it."