Between long hours of studying at the library and even longer hours at home, spare time to explore Saskatoon’s distractions is uncommon. But as we wander through the tunnels with our noses glued to our phones, we’re missing the easy chance to admire the incredible art pieces displayed around us.

Whether you feel compelled to fall to your knees in awe or your brain just says, “Nice,” art is something that moves us all. Here are five art installations well worth a 20 minute study break.

1. Garden of the Mind, Vic Cicansky (1992). This interactive bronze sculpture is a stunning piece to seek out if you’re looking for meticulous metalwork or an unbeatable staring competition. 

Located on the skywalk of the second floor of the Agriculture Building, this commissioned piece is smack-dab in the middle of one of the coolest spots to study, relax or just bask in. The surrounding plants and hanging art pieces make the second floor of ag a must-visit destination on your art vacation.

2. Metamorphosis, Heather Cline and Corrine McKay (1992). It’s truly a marvel that this breathtaking painting doesn’t gain more traffic. Found in a stairwell in the Thorvaldson Building, this collaborative piece takes up nearly an entire wall. 

It can be a bit tedious to get a good glimpse of this one because eyes are usually directed downwards when taking stairs to avoid falling. Consider making the journey to this beauty during a break in your schedule to soak up its every majestic detail.

3. Isolation, Betty Meyers (1990). This spectacular oil painting inspired by the annual delivery of goods to Taloyoak (formerly Spence Bay) in Nunavut. It depicts a glorious panorama of a quaint and colourful arctic village below a mountain neighbouring oceanic bodies. Found on the fifth floor of the Agriculture Building, this canvas is absolutely one for the radar.

4. Mes prairies eu toutes saisons, Mariette Rousseau-Vermette (1973). This gorgeous art piece is like no other to be found on campus. This one-of-a-kind work from a Québécoise tapestry artist features impeccable texture that conventional methods could only dream of achieving. Mariette Rousseau-Vermette truly captures the essence of prairie landscapes in this colourful piece, hung above the staircase in Murray Library leading into the Arts Tunnel.

5. Mother and Child with Bear Spirit, Christine Aaluk Sivanertak. This stone and antler sculpture is one of the 55 ornately displayed Inuit sculptures in the Henry and Cheryl Kloppenburg Collection. Located on the far side of the second floor of the Agriculture Building, this delicate culture piece is one you absolutely must quest to. The sculptures provide insight into styles of Inuit art and an appreciation for things valued among the culture.

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Gavin Robertson

Photos: Gavin Robertson