Corpus Callosum by Thomas Sayre - 17th Place Art Walk

Two 14-foot spheres, one earthcast concrete and the other stainless steel, anchor almost a kilometer of public art that links the Education and Research quads visually and symbolically, from simple beginnings to the unlimited future, much as the corpus callosum links the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Between them are 4 "outdoor rooms" of cast concrete and terrazzo which examine the intersections between spheres and cubes. They include seating, light, electrical outlets for computers, and WiFi for linking to the world.

The Ben Nighthorse Campbell Native Health Building is the first academic structure completed at CU Anschutz. It houses the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health (CAIANH). and was designed to incorporate native design elements.

The design of both the interior and exterior spaces of the Ben Nighthorse Campbell Native Health Building celebrates the Native American belief that the 'circle' represents the dwelling place created by the Great Spirit for all people. As a result, circles play a major role in the architecture of the facility. Circular forms are represented in the interior rotunda, the exterior council ring, and the Shore Family Forum. A fragment of a circle is even used to define the overall shape of the entire building. Exterior to the building on the eastern side is the ceremonial plaza.

The plaza is enclosed by a circle - an arbor structure that is a reinterpretation of the council ring, forming the ceremonial space within. Its opening is also to the east, thus establishing the eastern entrance traditional to Native American dwellings. A seating area adjacent to the entry plaza expresses the concept of a broken circle, saying that indeed nothing is perfect. An exposed area of earth at the center of the exterior council ring is symbolic of the connection to the earth common to many Native American ceremonies. The native Colorado soil in this area was mixed with soil from the four corners of the United States during the Building Dedication Ceremony in September 2002.

The Centers for Alaska Native and American Indian Health also maintain collections of native and indigenous themed artwork that are available to view. If time permits, please badge into the building to view these works.

Opening Doors by Christopher Weed - Research Quad

Christopher Weed created the sculpture Opening Doors with three goals in mind. First and foremost, he aimed to create pieces that were large enough to stand on their own without detracting from the surrounding architecture. Secondly, the sculptures would have to draw a connection between the educational and research mission of the facility. Lastly, they needed to be colorful, thoughtful, and humorous in order to add visual relief from the intensity of the activities within the academic walls. As the title suggests, Opening Doors is all about the doors that are opened in our subconscious when people challenge themselves through higher education. The promise of science has also led to opening doors with exciting new discoveries in the biomedical field, unlocking the answers to many diseases. The connection between the both missions of the facility is evident when viewing these playful, creative, and thought-provoking sculptures.

Open Weave by Ball-Nogues Studio - Anschutz Health Sciences Building SE Atrium

Three swooping brushstrokes, each a different color, span from the top of the Anschutz Health Sciences Building to just above the ground floor, then spring upward along the other side of the stair to form an enormous U-shaped gesture that envelopes the stair landings. The strokes figuratively and literally connect the disparate intellectual disciplines that are housed on each floor of the building; giving form to the collaborative mission that inspired the Anschutz Health Sciences Building. The chains curve under the force of gravity to form “catenaries.” In mathematics, a catenary is the shape made by a chain hanging between two points. The form of the work will appear differently depending on the viewer’s vantage point. When looking through the chains, they
will generate moiré patterns. From one angle, the viewer sees a set of parallel catenary lines; from another angle, she sees a wildly unpredictable pattern by way of moire.

Let Your Light Shine by Max Coleman - Research One North, 2nd Floor

This mural is an amalgamation of the scientific knowledge and breakthroughs that have occurred at the University of Colorado over the past 75 years or so. It flows as a visual river from left to right, containing not just the science, but also the real people behind the discoveries, and those who are still helped by them today. Additional information about this is available on the Colorado Area Health Education Center (CoAHEC) page.

Buffalo by Robert E. Sievers - Fitzsimons Building 1st Floor Lobby

This sculpture was made by past University of Colorado Regent Robert E. Sievers (1990-2002) and donated to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. 

To Live by Shelley Kerr - Fitzsimons Building Ground Floor Lobby

This artwork is dedicated to Thomas Flaig, MD, vice chancellor for research and professor of medical oncology. Shelley Kerr had such a powerful and positive experience at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus that she decided to create a permanent tribute. She sculpted “To Live” and donated the piece to the university in honor of Flaig and the care teams who helped her a four-year period. In creating the sculpture, Kerr was inspired by Greek culture, as it was the foundation of modern medicine. The top portion of the piece represents three Greek letters – zeta, alpha and omega – which spell the verb “to live.” 

The Arch of Cosmos and Damian by Carl Reed - Skaggs School of Pharmacy

The Arch of Cosmos and Damian visually connects the building to its site and provides informal seating. The section placed in a horizontal position on the ground metaphorically addresses the ongoing research at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy. One section of the sculpture is inside the lobby of the building, suggesting a section of a puzzle that is yet to be completed. In this way, the viewer is encouraged to visually complete the structure, therefore participating in the creative process.  

Beehive Memorial by Unknown - Red Cross Memorial

A monument known as the Beehive Memorial is a rock dome with a mounted plaque: "In memory of the officers, nurses and enlisted men of the Medical Department United States Army who lost their lives during the World War. This tablet is erected by their coworkers of the Medical Department."

The Benson Hotel has several art pieces that can be viewed in public areas of the building. Information on these pieces is available from the hotel’s website.

Between the floor and ceiling in the lobby is a 26-foot tall artwork titled Humanescence by Rae Douglass. The name is derived from Human, Essence, and Luminescence. It is based on a rendering of human anatomy accomplished by an amalgamation of anatomy from the National Library of Medicines Visible Human Project created by two CU Anschutz professors. On the third floor are two series of lithographs by Sue Simon: Lifelines and Microscopic Universe. The library also displays a collection of other works. More information about these other works can be found on the library's website.

Plume Portal by Elaine Calzolari - Fitzsimons Building Exterior

Commemorating the passage of the University of Colorado School of Medicine from its first century to its second.

This whimsical aluminum, steel and polymer work is kinetic and colorful. It embodies movement, action, and the ever-changing relations between things, and it captures the mood of the dynamic education space that surrounds it. As students interact with their environment, this work reflects the light and moves with the air.

Origin by Kendra Fleischman - Education 1

When creating this piece, the artist's motivation was the idea of emergence. The figure is pulling and pushing out from the bronze in a struggle to become complete, conscious and whole.

Polio Plus by Glenna Goodacre - Education 1

Polio Plus is the vision of a world free from polio myelitis, a disease feared for centuries. In 1985, the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International mounted two efforts - a fund raising campaign to provide large quantities of vaccine and an immunization program to deliver the vaccine to children around the world. Both efforts achieved unparalled success. This statue symbolizes the commitment of countless Rotarians who are making their vision a reality and the world a healthier place for millions of children.

Fly to Heal by Juls Mendoza - Fulginiti Pavillion 

This mural represents the plight of every migrant child.  The kid is on his way to a new and unknown destination, flying over dahlias which represent change and strength on this new journey.  But he is not alone, he is accompanied by monarch butterflies, which are a symbol of migration.  He’s not letting go of his most precious toys, his memories, or his home, “Su Hogar,” a place where you live and feel safe, calm, and peaceful. The jaguar mask represents the boy’s culture but it also represents strength, ferocity, and courage.  He wears this mask to try to fit in and hide his fears, feeling uncomfortable and insecure in this place where there are mountains and the people speak English.

Cloud Cells by George Peters Melanie Walker Airworks - Education 2 North

In the design considerations for the north stairway atrium the artists wanted to activate the airspace and stair landing window creating a soothing environment and allow transparency that would complement the skies along the Front Range. The cloud forms are painted with soft colors on stretched sunscreen making them very lightweight and retaining a look of fragility. These forms are open to interpretation of both clouds and cells referring to the interior makeup of the body.

Aspire by Bill Burgess - PASCAL/ Nursing Commemorative Garden

Aspire was designed to accent and compliment the PASCAL building in both form and color. It is a powder-coated, twisted obelisk of steel set upon a spiral of concrete. At its widest, the spiral is eight feet in diameter. The horizontal spiraling surfaces are approximately 12 inches wide, with a large enough top surface to accommodate the footprint of the diamond-shaped obelisk. At its base, the tower measures 28 inches per side. The tower rotates 105 degrees, while tapering 12 inches per side at its top.

Fractured Column by Tim Prentice - Education 2 South

A cascade of panels of reflective aluminum are suspended on a system of swivels and loosely connected in order to respond to the lightest currents of air moving in the space. A number of factors influence the air movement including convection currents coming off the large glass wall, the opening and closing of exterior doors, the air handling systems and people moving through the space. The plates are suspended in pairs and connected by a system of stainless steel brackets to allow movement of any plate in the system to effect the adjacent plates.

C-23 by Michael Clapper - Education Quad

These abstract steel sculptures represent humanity. The inspiration came from the 23rd chromosome. One sculpture depicts the 23rd in an XY configuration and other is an XX configuration. Consequently one refers to Man and the other Woman. The colored band patterns on the sculpture resemble the band patterns seen while looking at the configuration of the 23rd chromosome under a microscope.