UH unveils sculpture park at Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — A steel-clad spaceman has landed in Beachwood.

The larger-than-life sculpture — “Sitting Spaceman” by artist Brendan Murphy — is among the eye-catching inaugural artworks in the new Brenda and Marshall Brown Sculpture Park at University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood.

The sculpture park — situated in a 5-acre green space on the east side of Ahuja’s campus — recently opened with a dedication ceremony.

“Sitting Spaceman” by artist Brendan Murphy is on view in the new Brenda and Marshall Brown Sculpture Park at University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood. University Hospitals

The park is a way of sharing of UH’s art collection with Ahuja patients, visitors and staff. Drivers on I-271 will be able to glimpse the sculpture park as they whiz past, said UH art curator Thomas Huck.

“As soon as we started putting these sculptures up, people were coming out of the building saying ‘What is going on? Where are these? Where are they from?’ ” Huck said.

The site, with paths, benches and a reflecting pond, was already a popular spot for getting in steps or just relaxing outdoors.

“If you’re waiting for tests and surgeries, there’s a lot of downtime for families, and it can be stressful,” Huck said. “We’re trying to lure them outside to experience the green space.”

The park is dedicated to Brenda and Marshall Brown, Cleveland-area art collectors who plan to donate five of their outdoor sculptures to UH.

Huck began thinking about the impact that installing the sculptures in one location would make.“Rather than sprinkling them around, I thought it might be a nice idea to concentrate them, almost in an exhibition format,” Huck said.

UH’s sculpture park opened with five installations, including work by renowned artists Isaac Witkin and David Annesley.

Eventually, the sculpture park will have 16 pieces, all donated or purchased with money raised by the UH National Arts Leadership Council, he said. The council provides funds that enable UH to expand its art collection.

Murphy’s “Sitting Spaceman” is a gift from the artist, Huck said. The sculpture park is part of the UH art collection, which has amassed more than 3,000 pieces since beginning in 1988, Huck said. About $15,000 in philanthropic funds were used for sculpture park installation costs.

Artists with international reputations

The outdoor artworks will span a variety of mediums, and include abstract and representational work.

The park’s main focal point is an abstract work by Witkin, an internationally known sculptor born in South Africa. Witkin’s corkscrew-like bronze “Aaron’s Wand Variation” is a gift from the Browns.

Miami-based Murphy’s large-scale “Sitting Spaceman” features his signature graffiti made up of equations, a blend of formulas, symbols, and words.The sculpture symbolizes “hope, exploration and the power of the human spirit,” Murphy said in a news release.

UH also has two of Murphy’s teddy bear sculptures, which can be seen at the main campus and Ahuja.

London-born Annesley is known for his geometric minimalistic work. His “Big Ring,” a combination of circles and a triangle in painted steel, was inspired by his time in the Royal Air Force, Huck said.

“Annesley and Witkin are both well known in museum collections, so we’re really excited to have those as part of the park,” Huck said.

Artist Mark Hopkins channeled the joy of childhood in “Hangin’ Around,” which depicts two children at play. The fifth sculpture initially installed in the park is from an unknown artist, Huck said.