Piscataway, New Jersey

The conceptual development of the sculpture for the new Chemistry and Chemical Biology complex at Rutgers University involved many discussions with a faculty and student committee. Lively discussions about what this art work should represent brought out historical divisions among the many disciplines. The Rutgers campus is one of the oldest in the country and northern New Jersey has multitudes of historical sites. I felt that the work might be grounded in history and allude to the past as well as the future. A monumental stainless-steel molecule on an engraved granite plinth would be a contemporary version off the cast bronze “hero on a horse” statuary so prevalent in the region.

Students of all levels share a dedication to the complexities of their chosen field. Late night in the lab are expected and competition is friendly but real. The molecular structure of CAFFFEINE is the basis for the sculpture. It is the one thing all students, faculty and alumni have in common. Coffee fuels the late nights and early mornings of the laboratory.

Touring the old classrooms, the one image that was resonant was the blackboards covered with equations and formulas on top of the ghost images of a previous lecture. The engraved base is a collage of symbols, equations, and images inspired by these blackboards. Over fifty of these engravings detail a history of the field in both spectacular successes and tragic failures. From penicillin to thalidomide, from the work of the daughter of Marie Curie, Irene was awarded the Nobel prize but died at an early age of leukemia, possibly related to her research with polonium-12. Drawings of laboratory equipment from Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, the founder of contemporary chemistry, are also included.

For the curious and the knowledgeable, study of the three sides of the engraved granite base reveals the rich and complex history of chemistry and how it has extended human life but also the consequences to our environment.

Photography by Craig Collins.

Materials & Dimensions

Stainless steel and engraved granite, 21’ x 10’ x 5’.