Over the watchful eye of the bay stands a twenty-seven-foot-tall masterpiece. A gift from one of the most acclaimed American sculptors to date, Mark Di Suvero. He is well known for his massive steel H-beam structures that seem to defy gravity and employ moving parts. In 1975 the Western Washington campus was blessed to receive one of these such sculptures, his tribute to the renowned composer, George Frederic Handel. I don’t know the original colors, but today “For Handel” stands red. It’s always cold to the touch, and begging to be climbed, but the better sense at the back of my head wins every time with sound reasons like “it’s too slippery to climb today” or “I’m not in good enough shape yet to climb it today”. Though I have decent judgment, after witnessing the few daredevils who climb it, and I am envious. Many gaze at the piece and feel the same I would imagine. Without its addition the plaza, a half brick half grass area the size of a short football field, would feel empty, unused. Its commanding presence catches the gaze of all near it. A symbol of Western’s liberal arts attitude, freedom of thought, expression through vision.

It means much more to the atmosphere here than a statue of a founder that are common at other colleges scattered through the states ever could. It defines us as a group of people struggling to rise above the common, the normal, and at times being disastrously successful. However, the piece we pass by today is only a memory of what it once was. We now see it as the mosquito, or something that only the crazy climb. Not as something that could be easily interacted with, something that incorporates motion. What the community now sees is only the memory of what it was, few realize they gaze on an unfinished, disowned piece, destroyed by past students. Though I am usually a strong supporter behind information to the masses, I’m glad that many see it how they do, beautiful and complete, because now that I have learned the truth I see it only as a reminder of teenage irresponsibility. When a sculpture loses meaning to its artist, it doesn’t lose purpose to the people who inhabit the community it is a part of, right? It just gets a new meaning, one unintended that is yet to be defined by the people who interact with the new piece of art each day.

People don’t talk about the statue much. It doesn’t usually work its way into daily conversations, although some do happen on a blue moon. Even so it bears a strong enough impression on us students. You could tell a friend who lives at the opposite end of the college “meet me at the red sculpture” and they would be able to make their way over, knowing exactly where you are talking about. When I am older, hopefully debt free, and reminiscing on my years of college, I will not be able to identify many names. Few professors will remain in my cluttered mind, a handful of places, fewer friends and perhaps a restaurant or two. But, I will be able to describe, not well (not the best at verbal description, sorry grandkids), but still able to ramble about “For Handel”.