Public Works

Harry Bertoia for the Public

Bertoia won numerous architectural and artistic awards for public sculptures throughout his career, despite the fact that they held little importance to him (he felt that titles or pieces of paper were insignificant).

Architectural League of New York gold medal
Craftsmanship Medal of the American Institute of Architects
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in Fine Arts in Chicago
Craftsmanship Medal of the American Institute of Design
Fine Arts Medal from the Pennsylvania Association of the American Institute of Architects
Excellence in Sculpture prize at the Philadelphia Arts Festival
Honorary Degree in Fine Arts from Muhlenberg College in Allentown
Fine Arts Medal of the American Institute of Architects in San Francisco
Institute Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
Honorary Degree in Letters from Lehigh University, Bethlehem
Posthumous Hazlett Memorial Award for Excellence in the Arts in Pennsylvania, accepted by Brigitta Bertoia

Bertoia completed over 50 Public Works throughout the country and in several other countries as well. Eero Saarinen gave Bertoia his first chance to create sculpture on a bigger scale, hiring him for the General Motors Technical Center job in 1953. The 36’ long metal screen was challenging in both practical and logistical senses, but launched the sculptor on a consistent path of largely successful pieces.

The Dallas Public Library screen of alternating metal rectangles was ultimately a well-loved piece but had an inauspicious birth. Once installed in the library by Bertoia himself, the mayor commented, “It looks to me like a bunch of junk painted up. Besides, it’s a cheap welding job.” There was discussion of not paying the bill, of removing it, of installing a painted mural or of simply buying more books instead. It was actually taken down while the library commission decided what to do. In the meantime, a wealthy bank owner offered to purchase the piece for his Dallas bank. Finally, after much media babble, the public came to the rescue, making donations to bring the metal screen back into the library. It ultimately became one of the biggest marketing hits that the library ever accomplished and still stands there today.

It is said that architects were always pleased to work with Bertoia, as was he with them. Bertoia built a reputation of being on time, and listening to and understanding the needs of the venture. Upon inspecting a possible external sculpture site at St John’s Unitarian Church in Cincinnati with one of the architects on a cloudy November day, Bertoia walked around, pondered and spoke. “You do not need a sculpture here. This tree will cast a shadow on that wall that is art enough.” Stepping inside where the construction was only at the framing stage, again Bertoia examined the space and mulled it over. “Here – we will put it here by this wall. I think I know what to do.” With that statement everyone felt relieved that the artist would succeed, which he did in magnificent style.

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The American Institute of Architects medal was awarded, I think, for a specific participation but I don’t recall which one it was. I really don’t pay much attention to these awards, they come and they go. I completely forgot.
- Harry Bertoia

1953		General Motors Technical Center Warren, MI Architect: Eero Saarinen
1954		Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co, now Joe Fresh Clothing 70’ panel removed, then replaced, along with “cloud” hanging sculpture (2 pieces) 5th Avenue, New York City, NY Architect: George Bunshaft and R. Allen of Studio Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
		Cincinnati Public Library Cincinnati, OH Architect: Garber & Associates
1955		Massachusetts Institute of Technology Chapel Cambridge, MA A rchitect: Eero Saarinen
		Dallas Public Library Dallas, TX A rchitect: George L Dahl
		Lambert Airport St Louis, MO Architect: Hellmuth, Minoru Yamasaki & Leinweber (subsequently removed – model displayed at St. Louis Art Museum)
1956		Dayton Department Store, now Macy's Placed in central courtyard Edina, MN A rchitect: Victor Gruen Associates (Herman Guttman)
		US Department of State Consular Housing Bremen, Germany Architect: G Bunshaft of Studio Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
		US Department of State for American Consulate Dusseldorf, Germany A rchitect: G Bunshaft of Studio Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
1957		First National Bank Tulsa, OK A rchitect: McCune & McCune Associates (sculpture moved to downtown plaza)
1958		Yale University Hew Haven, CT Architect: G Bunshaft of Studio Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
		World Fair US Pavilion Brussels, Belgium Whereabouts unknown. Architect: Edward D. Stone
1959		Zenith Radio Corporation Chicago, IL (donated to and displayed at Smithsonian American Art Museum)
		First National Bank Now at U of Virginia, currently in storage during construction Miami, FL Architect: Florence Knoll (in 2000 gifted to University of Virginia)
1961		Denver Hilton Hotel, now the Sheraton Sold at unknown date, no longer displayed Denver, CO Architect: I. M. Pei (hanging dandelion)
		Denver Hilton Hotel, now the Sheraton Sold at unknown date, no longer displayed Denver, CO Architect: I. M. Pei (double tree)
		St. John’s Unitarian Church Cincinnati, OH Architects: John Garber, Tweddell & Wheeler Assoc.
		Albright-Knox Art Gallery Tall tonal sold, but smaller 1953 bronze grid plus large 1961 metal screen are displayed Buffalo, NY Architect: G Bunshaft of Studio Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
		Eastman Kodak Company Now at Rochester Institute of Technology, donated by Kodak in 1975 Dandelion, wall sunburst, and bronze planter – 3 very fine pieces Rochester, NY
		Chi Omega Sorority, now at Huntingdon Beard Crouse Hall Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
1962		Bankers Trust Company, sold to Istithmar World of Dubai No longer displayed New York, NY Architect: H Dreyfuss, Dreyfuss & Associates
1963		Dulles International Airport FAA Building Re-installed 2012 after airport upgrade, Chantilly, VA Architect: Eero Saarinen (died suddenly) and Kevin Roche
		Perpetual Savings and Loan Association, now Milton Abrahams branch of Omaha Public Library Now inside Los Angeles, CA Architect: Edward D. Stone (now displayed in Omaha Public Library)
1964		Eastman Kodak Pavilion World’s Fair New York, NY 7 dandelions (gifted to Rochester I.T.)
		W Hawkins Ferry Grosse Pointe Shores, MI, a Architect: Meathe, Kessler & Associates
		Golden West Savings Association, now Wells Fargo Whereabouts unknown Castro Valley, CA Architect: M L Gaidano
		Princeton University Princeton, NJ Architect: Minoru Yamasaki
		Northwestern National Life Insurance Company Minneapolis, MN A rchitect: Minoru Yamasaki
1965		Cuyahoga Savings Association, Sold to private party, no longer publicly displayed Cleveland, OH Architect: Lawrence & Associates
		Southwestern Bell (now AT&T) No Photo Available, Whereabouts unknown Greenway Plaza Houston, TX
1966		River Oaks Shopping Center Calumet City, IL A rchitect: Leobl, Schlossmann, Bennet & Dart Ass.
1967		GSA Federal Court Building Brooklyn, New York Architect: Carson, Lundin & Shaw Currently in storage in GSA building
		Philadelphia Civic Center Currently in storage, buildings torn down Philadelphia, PA Architect: E D Stone, Davis, Pool & Sloan Associates
		Whiting Auditorium Flint, MI
1968		Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY Architect: Roche & Dinkeloo
		Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company Buffalo, NY Architect: Minoru Yamasaki
		Seattle First National Bank Seattle, WA Architect: Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johansen
1970		Genesee Valley Shopping Center Flint, MI
1971		Lake Clifton Senior High School Baltimore, MD
1972		Marshall University memorial for football team Huntington, WV Architect: Keith Dean
1974		Edith Abbott Memorial Library Grand Island, NE
		National Bank of Boyertown Boyertown, PA Sold
		A Price Woodard Memorial Wichita, KS
		Standard Oil Plaza (now the Aon Center) Chicago, IL Architect: E Durrell Stone
1975		Music Speech and Theatre Arts Building University of Akron Akron, OH Architect: T Zung
		Annenberg Center University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
		Swann Oil, Inc. Bala-Cynwyd, PA (declared bankruptcy 1984, sculpture whereabouts unknown)
1976		Colorado National Bank Denver, CO (moved in 1998 to Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO, then sold in 2001 to Kaare Berntsen of Norway)
		Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Airport (now called Lehigh Valley Airport) Removed 2010, Now in storage (ask to have it displayed!) Allentown, PA
		US Embassy Oslo, NORWAY Architect: Eero Saarinen
		Sun Oil Company Headquarters Radnor, PA
		Bowling Green State University, Alumni Center Moved to School of Arts courtyard, model in library archives Bowling Green, OH Architect: T Zung
1977		Sentry Insurance Company World Headquarters Stevens Point, WI
1978		Federal Reserve Bank Richmond, VA

Public Works

Harry Bertoia for the Public

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