As UNI students return to campus for the Fall semester, many will see a new structure on their way to classes. A large metal sculpture, titled “Redtail,” was installed in the west interior courtyard of Bartlett Hall (near 23rd Street Market) this past July.

According to a press release issued on the UNI website, “Redtail” is an abstract steel and concrete sculpture created by Chicago artist Mike Baur. The piece stands 18 ft. tall and is 24 ft. in length. Because of the materials that make up the structure, it is expected to last hundreds of years with little to no maintenance.

Baur was commissioned by UNI to design and build the sculpture. According to the UNI press release, he is most well known for his other steel and concrete sculptures that appear in museums in both the United States and Spain.

The sculpture was chosen by UNI’s Art and Architecture Committee, which is made up of student and faculty representatives from various departments. According to Steve Carignan, chair of the Art and Architecture Committee, the group had weekly meetings to determine which piece would be chosen for Bartlett.

Three different artists made final proposals of their work to the committee before the ultimate decision was made.

Carnigan said there are multiple reasons that “Redtail” was selected.

“[Redtail] had a scale and material that fit the space. It felt natural there,” said Carignan. “The red bricks in the base are reminiscent of the bricks that make up Bartlett. Some people said the sculpture reminded them of two large books, which are easily associated with UNI.”

According to Carignan, every UNI building has a public art piece. This is due to the State of Iowa’s Art in State Buildings program, which mandates all public buildings in Iowa feature a piece of artwork. For some of UNI’s buildings, this art comes in the form of sculptures, but other buildings have murals, portraits or even mosaic floors that fill the art criteria.

Many states have similar policies, but the budgets differ. Iowa’s program states that .05 percent of the budget for a state building must go towards that building’s public art piece.

“The idea is to make public buildings more livable,” said Carnigan.

Due to the sculpture’s abstract design, many are confused as to what exactly “Redtail” is supposed to be. While its name would imply perhaps some sort of bird, not everyone is seeing it as such.

For Morgan Schrodt, senior Interactive Digital Studies major, the sculpture leaves something to be desired.

“Abstract pieces are hard to describe,” Schrodt said. “It’s not very eye-catching. I almost wish they would have put something more colorful there instead.”