About the Art
Breaker, designed by sculptor and emeritus Ohio State art professor David Black, was installed on campus in the summer of 1982. Meant to evoke the feeling of an ocean wave breaking, Black tried to capture the spirit and energy of college students with its form. Unlike much of the public art across campus that was funded by the State of Ohio’s Percent for Art legislation, this work was commissioned by the university to underscore the importance of art. It was around this time that the design competition for the Wexner Center for the Arts, ultimately won by architect Peter Eisenman, was launched.
At nearly 70 feet by 20 feet, Breaker is one of the largest artworks on campus. Despite its size, it has been moved three times due to nearby construction and is currently in its fourth location. It was originally installed between Weigel Hall and Mershon Auditorium, where the Wex is now, but was moved a bit south in 1985 across the former 15th Avenue to a spot between Page and Sullivant Halls. It was later moved north to a location along College Avenue near Arps Hall and eventually to its current home at the southwest corner of Olentangy River Road and Ackerman Road.
Collection of The Ohio State University.
Material
Painted aluminum
Location
Outside at the SW corner of Olentangy River Road and W. Dodridge St.
About the Artist
David Black was an internationally recognized sculptor who installed artwork across the world. He frequently worked in aluminum (like in Breaker) but was also known for his experimental work with plastics. Black often created monumental public sculptures at large scale, with over 40 of them on view across the country and in Canada, Germany and Japan. He considered his work to be “proto-architecture” and intended for visitors to walk under or within them, interacting with the spaces they created as well as the sculptures themselves. Black taught in the art department at The Ohio State University for many years and maintained a studio space on campus before retiring as a professor emeritus.
