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Sculpture garden to be restored
Amid the hubbub of Jayhawk Boulevard, an outdoor sanctuary offers respite. Thanks to three generous donors, students once again will be able to take refuge in the beauty of Weaver Court, once the vibrant home of a sculpture garden.
Located directly south of Spooner Hall, the original court, formally dedicated as the Arthur D. Weaver Memorial Fountain Court, was intended to become a permanent, open-air sculpture exhibition. It featured several important works including "French Fountain Group" by Pierre LeGros the Elder, "Portrait of August Renoir" by Aristide Malliol and "Resurrection" by Georg Kolbe. Donated by Mr. and Mrs. N.T. Veatch and Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Weaver in memory of A.D. Weaver with the help of Tommy Constant during the construction phase of the project, the courtyard served as a secluded niche for students, faculty and alumni to enjoy art in a natural setting.
Today, the court stands empty. According to Jeff Weinberg, d'64, g'70, assistant to the chancellor, the Malliol piece was stolen in December 1967 and never recovered; "Group" and "Resurrection," which are quite fragile, were salvaged and placed in protective storage. Other pieces were removed from the court when the art museum moved from Spooner to its current location.
The refurbished courtyard will be home to four pieces titled "Garden Sculptures," on long-term loan from the Spencer Museum of Art. Created by the late Kansas City artist Richard Hollander, three of the stainless steel pieces will be grouped near the center of the court, and a fourth will be centered on the north side of the courtyard, between windows of Spooner Hall. Access to the garden is just south of Spooner's main entrance.
A fountain that was part of the original courtyard will be preserved as well. Although no longer viable as a working fountain, it will be used as a planter, said Greg Wade, landscape architect with Design and Construction Management. Four new park benches provide seating and the native limestone wall still encloses the space. Work will begin in the spring and is estimated to be completed by early May.
The restoration will be funded by gifts from Jane V. Barber, c'42, the Historic Mount Oread Fund and Weaver's Inc. to KU Endowment, the University's official fundraising organization.
