The most recent additions to Western’s Sculpture Collection are two Murano glass chandeliers created by internationally acclaimed artist Fred Wilson. His “A Moth of Peace” and “The Way the Moon’s in Love with the Dark” now both hang in the Viking Union.
The sculptures commemorate the legacy of the late Virginia “Jinny” Wright, a philanthropist and arts patron who was instrumental in establishing Western’s sculpture collection. They are funded in part by her family, with additional support from the State Art in Public Places program.
Last November, Wilson flew from his home in New York to identify the exact location to suspend the chandeliers in the Viking Union Lobby near the entrance to the Multicultural Center. The two sculptures are modeled on traditional Venetian and Ottoman chandelier designs and explore the interconnection of cultures through trade routes and imperialism, exploitation, and oppression.