The final piece of Hanson Hall is now in place. Finishing touches have been made to "The Ribs of Humanity," a public art sculpture located in the outdoor James and Carmen Campbell Plaza. Designed by local artist Craig David, who also created several mosaic murals outside the new Target Field in downtown Minneapolis, The Ribs of Humanity represents, in David's words, the "burning passion of the business world."
The central motif of the sculpture is a large blazing fire, weighing more than six and a half tons and carved out of a 33,000-pound block of red granite. Surrounding this piece are several abstracted life-size figures carved from various colored granite. These figures represent the meeting of minds and the importance of communication in the global business process.
According to David, The Ribs of Humanity is the celebration of the primordial warmth and social aspects of gathering around a fire. "It is a study of personal reflection," he said. "It is the moment that we seek to understand how our judgments affect us, and the world around us."
Minnesota law encourages that state building projects with budgets above $500,000 dedicate funds for the purchase or commission of original artwork for the building site. The Ribs of Humanity joins the Carlson School building's public art piece, the suspended globe, as a metaphor of the school's dedication to international communication and knowledge sharing.
