Stonework Called “Breath” Offers Place Of Rest, Reflection At Eastern Oregon University (Photo) -01/06/25
Salem, Oregon – When conceptualizing his site-specific stonework “Breath,” stone carver Masayuki Nagase was inspired by the breadth and beauty of the spaciousness at Eastern Oregon University. Nagase, a native of Kyoto, Japan, created a composition of eight granite boulders, partially hand-carved and polished, placed on the eastern edge of the university’s large lawn south of Inlow Hall and east of Ackerman Hall in September. The work was commissioned as part of the state’s Percent for Art in Public Places program, managed by the Oregon Arts Commission.
“I envisioned the waves of human inhabitants who have passed through or lived on these lands over hundreds of years – people whom I would never know, but who may have stood at this same vantage point,” Nagase said. “I felt the wide landscape was inviting me to breathe deeply and exhale slowly. And within this simple breath cycle, their past presence and present existence was somehow felt.”
The central design concept is based on the natural energies of air and water, incorporating carved patterns to represent each element. The entire composition mirrors the surrounding mountains and hills, creating a sense of emergence and connection with the natural landscape beyond.
Nagase has been a resident of the United States since 1997, establishing his stone-carving studio in Berkeley, California, after years of training and working abroad. In his public art projects, Nagase explores the expansion of humanity through the intersection of art, nature and community. He has found that the interactive process of public art can be a channel for reclaiming connection and communication for communities. It is through the contact and dialogue between diverse groups that creates a new expression and a deeper understanding for all involved he said.
“Learning new knowledge is like breathing in fresh air,” Nagase said.
Within the Percent for Art in Public Places program, artists and artworks are selected for each qualifying state building project through a facilitated process that brings together artists, architects and members of the public. Artworks may be of any media, indoors or outdoors, temporary or permanent, purchased or commissioned.
The goals of the program are to:
- Acquire engaging and enduring artworks that are valued by Oregon’s diverse communities;
- Encourage dialogue, creativity and a sense of place by integrating art experiences into people’s everyday lives;
- Incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion policies and practices into art acquisition and collection management;
- Advance and support artists’ development, recognition and economic stability;
- Enliven and enhance state buildings through the arts; and
- Promote public awareness, understanding and appreciation of the arts.
The Arts Commission promotes access to the collection through a publicly searchable database of artworks.
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The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon (formerly Oregon Economic and Community Development Department) in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon Legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development.
The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon Legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at artscommission.oregon.gov.
