Crystal Garden

Crystal Garden, Dennis Oppenheim, 2003, lexan and acrylic sheets, asphalt home shingles, vinyl siding, perforated aluminum siding, and diamond plate aluminum sheets

Dennis Oppenheim’s "Crystal Garden" references different geometric crystal formations in nature. The structure is set along walkways near the University of Cincinnati’s One Stop Services Center. Materials include Lexan and acrylic sheets, wood, asphalt shingles, vinyl siding, perforated aluminum siding, and diamond plate aluminum sheets, all materials ubiquitous in the construction trade. The sculptures form an arc structure, a fragmented structure and a tunnel, playful responses to the angular architecture that surrounds them. The sculptures were purchased through the State of Ohio’s Percent for Art Program.

Dennis Oppenheim is known for his involvement in the Land Art movement of the 60’s and 70’s and his contemporary work up until his death in 2011. Throughout his career, Oppenheim experimented with a variety of innovative mediums and is best respected for his vast variety of artwork and all of its different forms. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and was chosen to represent the United States at the 1997 Venice Biennale. Visit this incredible work of art at campus’ main eastern entrance on University Circle.