Ulrich Museum’s Adopt-A-Sculpture Campaign launches with $150,000 lead gift

One can barely step foot on Wichita State University’s main campus without being greeted by a piece of art from the nationally recognized Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection. Whether it’s the evocative carbon steel trees of Cluster IV by Ernest Carl Shaw or the delicate marching feet of the beloved Millipede by Tom Otterness, each piece defines the campus with beauty and distinction.

The idea that art is essential to daily life, learning and community connection forms the basis of the Ulrich Museums Art Matters Campaign, which will help provide funds for the Art Matters Endowment along with upcoming exhibitions and education initiatives. The campaign has launched with a lead gift of $150,000 from Peri Widener ’78, former vice president and general manager of Boeing Global Services, to symbolically adopt Personnages Oiseaux by Joan Miróas part of the Adopt-a-Sculpture initiative. 

“The Art Matters campaign shines a light on art as a great unifier, a connector among people and communities, and a common language across countries and cultures,” says Widener. “…art is an enduring resource, one that requires care and consideration so that it is preserved for the benefit of future generations. Arts—whether literature, music or visual—matter, because they open our heads and hearts in ways that allow us to connect with others and grow personally.”

To highlight the importance of art on Wichita State’s campus, the Adopt-a-Sculpture initiative will temporarily cover 57 pieces in the Outdoor Sculpture Collection until they are symbolically adopted, when they will be unveiled at a special ceremony.

“The Ulrich Museum’s sculpture collection is a precious piece of Wichita State’s campus experience,” says Vivian Zavataro, executive and creative director of the Ulrich Museum of Art. “This campaign is designed to secure both the immediate vibrancy and the long-term sustainability of the Ulrich and ensure we can continue to share our art with the community.”

The Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection was established in 1972 and contains an invaluable catalogue of world-class artworks. It was championed by the collection’s namesake, former vice president of academic resources and the Ulrich Museum’s first director, Dr. Martin H. Bush, who solicited many artists to gift their works to the university. His goal: to bring prominent internationally acclaimed artists to the Midwest.

Now comprised of 89 works, the Outdoor Sculpture Collection shapes the daily campus experience, creating a powerful and enriching environment for WSU students, faculty, staff, and the community.

“Public art provides a catalyst for conversation, consideration of different perspectives and can lead to understanding—of people, places, history and topics we are unfamiliar with,” says Widener. “This becomes especially important on a college campus where ideas can be the spark that ignites learning, change, growth and impact.”

Learn more about the Adopt-a-Sculpture campaign and the Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection.