Campus News

'Unlearn Fear + Hate' Installed at Gatton Student Center

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photo of installation of "Unlearn Fear + Hate" sculpture by Kremena Todorova and Kurt Gohde
photo of Karyn Olivier in front of "Unlearn Fear + Hate" sculpture
photo of Terry Allen in front of "Unlearn Fear + Hate" sculpture

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 26, 2018) The art committee is making significant strides in getting more art placed in the Gatton Student Center at University of Kentucky. The seven metal sculptures that comprise "Unlearn Fear + Hate," by Lexington artists and Transylvania University faculty members Kurt Gohde and Kremena Todorova, are now installed in the hallway between the UK Federal Credit Union and the social stairs.

Each sculpture presents a shiny halo with the phrase cut out in the seven most frequently spoken languages on campus — Chinese, Hindi, Swahili, English, Korean, Spanish and Arabic. The artwork activates words from a poem the artists commissioned by Frank X Walker, UK professor of English.

Visitors are encouraged to stand in front of one of the sculptures with their head framed by the center circle and take a selfie or take a photo of a friend. For those sharing on social media, use the hashtag #unlearnfearandhate so they become part of a growing collection of images by people committed to peace, acceptance and inclusivity.

The art committee for the Gatton Student Center is co-chaired by UK Art Museum Director Stuart Horodner and Executive Director for Strategic Analysis and Policy Melody Flowers.

Philadelphia-based artist Karyn Olivier, who was on campus last week examining the various elements in the vestibule at Memorial Hall for a piece she is working on for the building, toured the Gatton Student Center and had her photo taken with Gohde and Todorova’s work. She will be back in August to complete her project, which includes a gold-leafed ceiling, figurative elements copied from the Anne Rice O'Hanlon mural inside the lobby, portraits of significant Kentuckians, and a quote by Frederick Douglass.