Harvard Business School announces new pieces of public art supported by the C. Ludens Ringnes Sculpture Collection

Harvard Business School (HBS) has added sculptures by Woody De Othello and Erika Verzutti to the C. Ludens Ringnes Sculpture Collection for a two-year exhibition on its Boston campus. The installation is part of the school’s ongoing contemporary sculpture program, which began in April 2016, and joins pieces in its permanent collection by Mary Frank, Jaume Plensa, John Safer, Joel Shapiro, and Yinka Shonibare.

“It’s a real gift to have work of this caliber on our campus, where students, faculty, alumni, and staff will encounter it every day,” said Kenneth Peterson, executive director of Baker Library. “Woody De Othello’s work asks us to think about connection and communication beyond ordinary speech, and Erika Verzutti’s transforms ordinary fruit into something ancient and monumental. Having sculptures this thoughtful on the HBS campus is exactly the kind of experience we want for our community.”

These installations are made possible by the generosity of the artists and galleries: Verzutti and the Andrew Kreps Gallery (New York); and Othello and the Karma (New York) and Jessica Silverman (San Francisco) galleries, and by the C. Ludens Ringnes Sculpture Collection, which supports Harvard Business School’s contemporary outdoor sculpture exhibition.

“What I love about these pieces is that they’re rich with history and intention, yet you don’t need to know any of that to enjoy them—and there are many layers to discover the longer you look. That’s the magic and depth running through a lot of the artwork at Harvard Business School,” said Gabe Handel, assistant dean for administrative and educational affairs. “Othello’s and Verzutti’s pieces add to a collection that grabs you or sparks a sense of wonder in the moment, while slowly helping you appreciate how deeply visual art and other forms of creative expression can shape your experience of the campus.”

More information about the collection is available in the Contemporary Art on Campus section of the School’s website, which includes a map of the sculptures currently on display.