7/26/2024
Discovering The Smith Center
If you’ve been following The Smith Center’s Facebook or Instagram accounts lately (and you should be), you’ve witnessed world-renowned interior designer Roger Thomas’ guided tour to some of the many extraordinary works of art throughout this 5-acre campus – a collection the former Smith Center board member helped build.
The pieces complement the buildings’ art deco architecture so well, they’ve become as much a part of a visit to performing arts center as the shows themselves. And for The Smith Center’s staff, they’re a constant source of inspiration.
We asked some of those team members to say a few words about their favorite Smith Center artworks, with two caveats: They had to choose something public-facing (that is, not one of the many additional pieces in areas of the campus guests can’t routinely access) and they couldn’t select The Smith Center’s two best-known sculptures, Tim Bavington’s colorful “Pipe Dream” at the east end of Symphony Park and Benjamin Victor’s soaring “Genius in Flight” within the Grand Lobby’s main staircase.
“Prismatic Oracle” by Hans Van de Bovenkamp (1938; multi-patinated bronze; Symphony Park)
Edwin Porcuincula, Ticketing
“An oracle is about prophecy, and this sculpture is like a prophecy of the future of this area. If you stand on the far side of it, you can see in a straight line to our founders – Donald W. Reynolds and Fred and Mary Smith, and then on to The Smith Center.”
“From Roses to Roast” by Wendy Kveck (2007; oil and mixed media on canvas panel; Reynolds Hall gallery box left hallway)
Mark Maddox, Housekeeping
“I paint, and I use a lot of bright colors, a lot of red, so this caught my eye on one of my first days here, and it’s been a favorite ever since. It’s a bit of a hidden gem, easy to miss unless you know it’s there.”
Fabiola Reyna, Information Technology
“This painting has flowers, but it’s also chaotic in nature. I like that it encapsulates chaos and beauty while bringing in elements of the Reynolds Hall hallway (the roses in the carpet’s design) to provide an immersive experience. Maybe you’re in the painting; maybe you’re just looking at it.”
“Fritz” and “Lang” by David Ryan (2012; acrylic paint; polyutherene paint and metal leaf on high-density urethane and wood; Reynolds Hall fifth floor)
Joseph Tracy, Development
“These make me think of music – a staff or a stringed instrument – and for me, music symbolizes de-stressing and relaxing. That’s the vibe I get when I look at these, leaving stress and negativity behind me. It gives me happy endorphins.”
“Luminous Bloom I” and “Luminous Bloom II” by Ed Mell (2011; oil on linen; Boman Pavilion lobby)
Steven Mack, Theater Operations
“I’ve liked these from the first time I saw them. They were a great choice for this lobby, the way they add color to the place. A flower can be such a feminine thing, but these flowers have a more masculine quality. And though they’re almost identical, they’re not.”
“I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can” (1984) and “Master of Ceremonies” (1985) by Miriam Schapiro (acrylic and fabric on canvas; Reynolds Hall dress circle stairwells)
Kasia McBride, Marketing
“Just like people happily gathering at The Smith Center to enjoy music and dance, these paintings invite us to a world where vibrant colors and swirling patterns make everyone want to celebrate and leave their worries behind. It's a place where we can smile, wear bright colors and immerse ourselves in a joyful moment that helps us escape into a world of pure happiness.”
