Aluminum sculpture created by noted artist Lyle London

Dec. 14—On December 13, an 18-foot aluminum sculpture, titled Trinity, was installed on the Northwestern College campus. The sculpture, created by distinguished Arizona artist Lyle London and provided for the Northwestern community by donors Jake and Marge Barnett, is an addition to the college’s new campus green. The expanded campus green is part of a larger building project that includes the new Billy Graham Community Life Commons building, scheduled to open in the summer of 2011.

The sculpture was created in three sections, contrasting volume and form. “It is a balancing act between abstract forms,” said London. “The idea was to take each piece down to its very minimalist form to express idea and visually demonstrate balance and mass.”

Not coincidentally, the sculpture’s name, Trinity, reflects the composition’s three pieces in approximate balance to one another—a request specifically made of the Barnetts.

London began work in May 2010 using CAD (computer aided design) programming software to create a 3D model. London’s biggest challenge in creation was finding large enough materials. As the sculpture is more than 18’ tall, he had to order alloy from companies that produce large aluminum plates used in building ships.

London originally created a smaller, 13-foot piece, titled Equipoise 15, for the Barnetts’ personal residence in Bloomington, Minn. The donors contacted London to create another piece, this time a public work intended for Northwestern. After reviewing ideas, they kept coming back to the Equipoise 15 sculpture. London agreed to commission the piece again—with a new name—for the college.

Fabrication was completed over the summer in Tempe, Arizona where London’s gallery, design and fabrication firm, Art in Metal USA, is located. London graduated from Dartmouth and has commissioned works for cruise ships, colleges, hotels, hospitals, cities and businesses across the United States, recently a commemorative piece in the United Kingdom to honor John Lennon’s 70th birthday. He specializes in works that incorporate lighting, metals, stones, glass, multimedia and digital content.

Watch the sculpture being installed

View slideshows of the sculpture and its installation below.