GVSU Art with a Voice
I chose the Transformational Link by Gary Kulak as my favorite piece of art on campus because it speaks to me. Every day as I walk to and from my classes I see both the small replica and the true sculpture. The blue metal sculpture which crosses over a main walkway of the Allendale campus and is also placed as a model in Makinac Hall represent much more than what first meets the eye. According to the Grand Valley Art Gallery, “Kulak’s small and large-scale sculptural works that are represented on-campus feature a linear form with absent components that the viewer is urged to complete with their own mental effort.” It is this lack of competition that makes me think and spend more time wondering about the sculpture than others on campus.
It spoke to me the first time I saw it not only because of its size but because of the story it tells. People go to college to become well rounded individuals. Most college students have a goal of feeling complete by gradation. And although this goal may not be feasible in actuality, it is a good reminder of it. This piece of art was also brought to my attention during my first visit to GVSU as a perspective student. The tour guide explained how it was bad luck to walk underneath the structure starting at the completed side and ended at the unfinished side as if you were dooming yourself for failure. Funny enough, very few people walk beneath the structure at all (even the correct way). It also makes me wonder when I see people walk under if they know the old saying.
Four Fantastic GVSU Icons
The Grand Valley Clock Tower, located at the heart of the GVSU Allendale campus, is an icon to many students who attend the university. Each hour the tower rings, keeping track of our time here.
This rock, located near Makinack Hall in front of Copeland dormitory, is a symbol of current importances as the layers of paint are updated with time. Whether it is painted for a GVSU event/club or painted to raise awareness of some kind, the rock is an ongoing tradition and a unique part of “Freshman Land.”
The Grand Valley wrecking ball is most known to me as “the wrecking ball that looks like the one Miley Cyrus swings on in her Wrecking Ball music video.” The wrecking ball was taken down shortly after the video was released when people started swinging on it to make parodies of the music video. Now, the wrecking ball has returned but with a rather high fence to keep students off. This additional to the GVSU campus art collection is an icon to much more than pop culture and Miley Cyrus fans but also among GVSU students.
The GVSU fountain is located behind the student services building and near the GVSU clock tower. The fountain brings life to the heart of campus through an asteically pleasing appeal and beautiful background noise. The fountain is also a sure sign of spring as students know the end of the year is around the corner when the fountain is turned on after the winter once again.
GVSU Campus Recreation Tour
GVSU Foundation Annual Report (2016)
After reviewing the “Financial Report” I was pleased to read that over 15,200 donors contributed to the Grand Valley University Foundation, which included a “22% increase in annual giving.” However, after viewing the infographics, this so called “increase” did not become apparent. In fact, overall private giving for 2016 dropped $3 million from 2015. Endowment fund growth also dropped by $1.5 million from 2015 to 2016. To view the Grand Valley 2016 Annual Report, click here.
Memes That Spread Like Wildfire
Memes are pictures, short videos, or text that can be altered and spread around the internet. Memes have become popular as they allow people to relate to each other. Many memes make people laugh because the situation represented is relatable or funny. Other kinds of memes express emotion and allow the receiver to better understand an emotion behind the sender’s feeling. The specific meme I chose appeals to me because I enjoy baking and can relate to it. Not only is it a hilarious snapshot of Beyoncé’s face, but it is also something anybody who has ever opened a scolding hot oven before can understand.
Self Generated Memes
Thoughts of a Fiore Girl 