So here comes the truth.  When I was told to pick my favorite piece of sculpture on Pratt’s Brooklyn campus, one work immediately came to mind.  And in thinking about this for the last few days, I didn’t want to come here and write about this piece, but considering that it has stuck with me for the last 2 years, I thought I may as well give in and embrace my inability to grasp modern sculpture.  It’s not that I don’t appreciate modern sculpture, because I really, truly do, it’s more that I don’t necessarily understand (most of the time) what the sculptor is trying to convey with his or her gargantuan steel poles and jutting metal abscesses.  But that’s what this class is for, right?

Anyways, what I’m really trying to say is that, despite considering myself an art historian, I am generally drawn towards art that doesn’t take itself too seriously.  I like a laugh.  And while I do enjoy those works which make me think, sometimes I just want to look at something and immediately know what I’m looking at, sometimes I just want something easy.  And the rat with enormous balls is easy.

The sculpture “Rat Sitting on His Laurels” by Dana Stewart is a small work and can easily be disregarded among the many much larger public works in its vicinity.  This bronze rat sits up on his “laurels” as if to communicate with passers-by, his large manhood comically overpowering the rest of his figure, as if to impose his ballsiness on the viewer, the way any common NYC street rat might do as they find it necessary to run right over your foot while you’re walking through the East Village.  Upon further inspection, even his balls have their own feet!

Even though it may be not be as easily noticed as some other works, for me it has provided a bit of comic relief from the stress of grad school, and that may be part of the reason that it is there.  As for the many other sculptures on Pratt’s campus, the reasoning for their presence is I’m sure varied, but one may be that they can act as an obvious source of inspiration to the many art students at this primarily art-focused school.  Another reason may be the prestige it offers the campus grounds, as well as that which is lent to the Pratt name.  Many of the works on campus are by the hand of well-known artists, offering further credibility to Pratt Institute in being able to secure these works for public viewing on its campus.

Lewis & Clark College, my undergraduate alma mater, is currently Princeton Review’s #5 pick of the Most Beautiful Campuses, so needless to say, sculpture took somewhat of a back seat to the lush landscape and gorgeous views of Mt. Hood.  What I do remember of sculpture, however, is that it seemed to primarily reflect the Native American roots of the Northwest.  Many of the works on campus that were prominently displayed and not associated with the Art department resembled totem poles.   And they are very proud of their Sacagawea, which was dedicated in my first week of college and not particularly appreciated (or noticed) by the students, as far as I remember…It is, and was, obvious to me that while the sculptures on campus were visually appealing and added a certain something to the aura of the campus, they had a hard time competing with the aesthetics of the natural environment, and now have a hard time competing with the wealth of sculpture for viewing on Pratt’s campus.

That said, I must admit that as much as I love and appreciate the secluded sculpture oasis in the middle of Brooklyn, sorry – Pratt ain’t got nothing on that view: