New Sculpture, Kairos The Perfect Moment, Graces Campus

It is called Kairos, an ancient Greek word meaning the opportune and decisive moment. Tucked between Jalbert Hall and The Tower and clearly visible from the Hall of Flags, this sculpture by artist James Strickland reflects in several ways, the mission and work of CMCC. When asked to describe this work, Mr. Strickland shared the following:

There are three elements to the sculpture. The first element is the shapes forming the abstracted letters CMCC. They are constructed from TIG welded 6061 T6 aluminum sheets and given a swirl sanded finish. This provides a sturdy base for the second element, a grid reminiscent of the commonly seen 6 over 6 window pane configurations found throughout New England. The grid is placed upon the plinth via a series of gimbaled bearings that allow the cage element to rotate freely 360 degrees in the slightest breeze. The third element of the work is abstracted laurel leaf shapes. These shapes represent the academic achievements of the faculty and the high level of academic opportunity available at CMCC. The abstracted laurel shapes are gold leafed and also reference flames of early navigation bonfires, with allusion to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, which announced the important library and scholarly prestige of that ancient city.

This sculpture was commissioned through the Maine Percent for Art Program. Recognizing the need to enhance culture and the arts and to encourage the development of artists, the Legislature to established the Percent for Art Program to provide funds for and authorize the acquisition of works of art for certain public buildings and other public facilities.