Termalo Vortex

Termalo Vortex

Eugene Sturman, 1984-85

This steel, copper, nuts, and bolts sculpture is located in the atrium between McCarthy Hall and the Science Laboratory Center. It was a gift from Louise and Richard Newquist. “Sturman’s genius,” writes the San Francisco Examiner, “ is exploiting the play between the past and future.” This design and these materials have roots in both modern satellites and ancient geometric forms. Coupling a mixture of alchemist notions and the makings of very old nautical instruments, Thermalo Vortex creates what the artist calls, “a space-age, three-dimensional language.” These almost whimsical results evoke a visual simplicity with metaphysical twist.

*Eugene Sturman (1945– ) is a highly respected and internationally known artist proficient in a vast variety of media and materials. He earned his B.F.A. in Fine Arts at Alfred University in 1967 and his M.F.A. in Fine Arts at the University of New Mexico in 1969. Later the artist studied printing at the Tamarind Lithography workshop. He has taught at CSU Long Beach State and UCLA. Recognized for his outdoor sculpture and public art—including Homage to Cabrillo: Venetian Quadrant, commissioned by the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency—Sturman’s work has been exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

*Al March, “A glimmer of the future of sculpture,” San Francisco Examiner, August 23, 1982