Float, Bronze and granite sculpture at Sandburg Halls, Milwaukee, US.
Float is a bronze sculpture with granite elements located near the entrance of Sandburg Hall on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus. The work pairs a lightweight bronze canoe form with substantial stone elements positioned along the campus walkways.
The work was created in 2003 by Peter Flanary during a period when the university expanded its commitment to outdoor art. The artist made significant changes to the original design during the realization process.
The work brings contemporary art into daily campus life, where students encounter it as they move between buildings. The combination of materials creates a visual focal point that invites people to pause and look more closely.
The sculpture is accessible year-round from the Sandburg Hall pedestrian walkways without requiring special arrangements. You can easily view it while crossing the campus, as it sits along regularly used paths.
The work uses the strong contrast between the lightweight bronze canoe form and the heavy granite mass to express visual tension. This difference becomes especially apparent as you move around the sculpture and see how its sides relate differently to the ground.
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