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Behind the Brain
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Commissioned by the Ohio Percent for Art Program in 1998, the Behind the Brain Plaza was unveiled in the year 2000, becoming an important landmark in the history of Kent State University.
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Brinsley Tyrrell. Artist, KSU Professor Emeritus, and creator of the Behind the Brain Plaza.
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The plaza was created in collaboration with KSU horticulturist Mike Norman, who tragically died while scuba-diving in 2005.
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The fountain uses only a bathtub full of water when operating, and the water is recycled over the course of a day.
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The bookshelves were created by forming molds that could be divided and broken apart so you could take the books out of them.
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KSU maintenance crews also joined in and helped, earning themselves a tablet for their efforts.
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When the construction was complete, horticulturist Mike Norman provided all the vegetation for the plaza.
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After its completion, the Beck Family endowed the plaza to secure its upkeep.
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Over ten years after its unveiling, Tyrrell is pleased with his creation.
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Brinsley Tyrrell. Artist, KSU Professor Emeritus, and creator of the Behind the Brain Plaza.
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The plaza was created in collaboration with KSU horticulturist Mike Norman, who tragically died while scuba-diving in 2005.
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The retaining wall of the plaza is a series of books made from a concrete mold that resembled the bookshelves of a library.
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The bookshelves were created by forming molds that could be divided and broken apart so you could take the books out of them.
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Color was added to the concrete to give the books some variation.
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The books are slightly different sizes and shapes to make the shelves look casual and inviting.
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Sitting directly across from the retaining wall is a small brain affectionately referred to as “The Seed” by Tyrrell and others.
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Tyrrell views “The Seed” as a form of inspiration that is blossoming and symbolically taking knowledge from the retaining wall of books.
Photographer bio: Andy Prisbylla is a student studying Non-Profit Management & Fundraising at Kent State University. Originally from Steubenville, Prisbylla says that he has been a lot of things in his short time on this planet: pizza cook, librarian, graphic designer, cartoonist, writer, but that photography “is where my heart lies.” He immediately fell in love with Behind the Brain Plaza for its figurative nature and straightforward approach. “On a campus filled with abstract, esoteric public sculptures that scream for the viewer to interpret their meaning, the Brain Plaza creates a uniquely honest and simplistic voice that most artists are afraid to use.” Prisbylla wanted his documentation to be just as honest, which is why he chose black and white for his aesthetic.
Go to our slideshow on sculpture artist Brinsley Tyrrell and the making of Behind the Brain Plaza.
