Plans to return "bacon" sculpture to original author

The sculpture “Divisions”, better known on campus as “the bacon”, is deteriorating and could soon be getting returned to the author. The now 175-year-old wood that was used to build the sculpture has begun rotting, and Physical Plant has surrounded the sculpture’s  parameters with yellow caution tape. “There might be some parts that might fall off,” Associate Director of Physical Plant Bill Knotts, said. “It feels really loose and unstable.” Physical Plant has attempted to contact the author of the sculpture, Linda Cunningham, but has not yet received a reply, according to Project Coordinator Ted Terrell.

If the sculpture were to be returned to the author, the pieces would be lifted out of “the pit” with a crane and loaded onto a semi truck, according to Terrell. Cunningham loaned “Divisions” to Wright State in October of 1998, according to Physical Plant Manager Jeff Trick. The sculpture was built with wood and twisted steel strips, that to many, bare the resemblance of bacon. The steel and wood strips are separated into six groups, each bearing plaques with Philosopher Emmanuel Lévinas’ philosophy work “Totalité et Infini” (Totality and Infinity) translated into French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and English. According to Wright State’s website, the sculpture was “designed to speak to social division and its consequences.” Though the author was contacted in December, Terrell said that it was normal for the author to take this much time to respond, given that the holidays recently took place.

---