Abstract Sculpture is Revolved and Renovated

It’s a tradition as old as the swim test—or at least as universal. Just as every Columbia student backstrokes, butterflies, or doggie-paddles his or her way across the pool, every Columbia student spins—or attempts to spin—Three-Way Piece: Points (1964-5). While the entire student body is familiar with this gigantic bronze on Revson Plaza, very few know what it actually is. The most pervasive theory is that “it’s a molar or a tooth,” said Alicia Samuel, CC ’11. This, however, is incorrect. The “tooth” is actually a purely abstract work by British sculptor Henry Moore.

Moore (1896-86) was one of the most important and prolific sculptors of the 20th century. His most recognizable works are schematized representations of reclining human figures, but he also made a number of entirely abstract pieces like Three-Way Piece: Points. The statue came to Revson Plaza in 1967, complete with the spinning pedestal, which was intended to help viewers experience its organic form from all angles.

Almost immediately after Three-Way Piece: Points arrived, the administration began to worry about preserving its surface. The patinas of Moore’s pieces are an important element of his work, and the pollution coming off Amsterdam Avenue has changed the color and texture of Three-Way Piece’s surface. Over the years, the University has periodically called in professional art conservators to maintain the original finish on the dark bronze.

This ongoing process has even involved Moore’s immediate family. In 2000, the sculptor’s daughter Mary Moore visited Columbia, and later wrote to the University’s curator of art properties, Sarah Weiner, to offer “assistance in ‘revitalizing’ the appearance of the sculpture by restoring the old patination.”

The University is clearly committed to making sure that Three-Way Piece: Points keeps spinning in all its glory for years to come.