News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The final piece of the Centennial is now in place.
As part of Tech’s 100th birthday celebration, a sculpture was commissioned to both commemorate the past and inspire future students. Ascension, a 52-foot tall, 7,000-pound stainless steel artwork by Hoss Haley, has been installed between Dixie Avenue and Centennial Plaza.
According to the artist, the sculpture’s height and stepped composition “convey the concept of ascension. The random shaped blocks suggest that growth is not entirely linear, but has many turns and diversions. As long as one continues to grow, to persevere, to add experiences, there is no limit to what a person or an institution can achieve.”
Centennial Coordinator Laura Clemons said that Haley perfectly balanced the classic architecture of campus with a modern artwork.
“It’s really important that the art be site-specific and that it’s suitable for the setting,” Clemons said. “Ascension references the columns fronting most of our buildings, so it’s consistent with the overall architecture of campus. But by using a more contemporary medium – stainless steel – the sculpture makes a statement about not only our first century, but our present and our future. Hoss gave us everything we asked for and more.”
