Nautilis

Rico Eastman, 2002

This Corten Steel sculpture is located in the area east of Visual Arts Center Building E. It has been a long-term loan from the artist since 2006.

The spiral structure of the nautilus shell is said to display perfect mathematical proportion. Geometric forms often symbolize order and harmony rather than chaos. The multiple sections of this nautilus are made of interlocking, curved sheets of steel. The rigid steel is shaped through tension and held together by joins and grooves rather than nuts and bolts. The resulting abstracted armored creature echoes some qualities of an interlocking tile roof but this roof is exploding as the creativity of the arts metamorphoses the creature with its energy. It is no coincidence that this sculpture sits between the performing arts center and the art department.

Master metalworker Rico Eastman (1952–2012) is known for his large-scale, multi-ton sculptures. Eastman received a B.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1974 and a M.F.A. from Arizona State University in 1985.