While the University of Wisconsin campus is full of beautiful outdoor art, some of the best pieces of art on campus are hiding behind closed doors. Make sure to have these three works of art on your radar the next time you find yourself indoors.
Wisconsin Historical Society Library
With its high ceilings, marble staircase and green reading lamps straight out of the movies, the Wisconsin Historical Society Library is an entire room of art unlike any other.
The library has since taken on the nickname “Hogwarts Library” due to its incredible interior design and is arguably one of the best-kept secrets on campus. The library takes advantage of its beautiful historical architecture to create the perfect atmosphere for studying — so long as you can keep from staring at the ornate marble walls all day.
From floor-to-ceiling windows, towering pillars and beautiful pattern work everywhere, this library has something for everyone.
Sixty-Strut Tensegrity Sphere
For all the engineers out there, this piece is for you. The “Sixty-Strut Tensegrity Sphere,” located in the Engineering Centers Building, is both a feat of artistic and engineering marvel. The term tensegrity refers to a structure’s ability to support itself by resting on itself.
In this case, 60 individual metal tubes support one another by putting tension on a wire which weaves its way through each one of the tubes, holding the piece together. Despite weighing 500 pounds, the sphere appears lighter than air as it floats overhead.
The sphere is icosahedral — meaning it is twenty-sided — and is an excellent piece of art to check out next time you find yourself near Engineering Mall.
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Freeing Of The Slaves
Located on the second floor of the Law Library, “Freeing Of The Slaves” is a proud and triumphant painting, depicting the emancipation of the slaves during the Civil War.
The painting shows a dirt road leading out of a storm and into the sunlight where, in the center of the piece, a man in rags outstretches his arms as a Union flag waves in the background.
The piece symbolizes both the end of slavery and the Civil War and is an awe-inspiring glimpse into the past. The oil painting is full of life and color, and it could easily take you hours to soak it all in.
