Miami University will soon be the home for a significant new work by accomplished sculptor Leonardo Drew.

Drew’s “Number 381” is the artist’s first bronze sculpture intended as permanent outdoor public art. The university celebrates the installation with a May 2 dedication ceremony on the plaza between Hillcrest Hall and Young Hall on Western campus, where the piece will reside.

The sculpture, fabricated at Urban Art Projects, New York, will be wrapped in anticipation of the unveiling at 2:30 p.m. on May 2. The event is open to the public. “Number 381” is the fourth sculpture donated by alumnus Tom Smith ’50.

While Drew is more known for his indoor installations, he recently installed temporary outdoor sculptures at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut, and at Madison Square Park in New York City. But, there is nothing like the first time, Drew said, recalling his reaction to viewing the work of Jackson Pollock and how it challenged and changed his trajectory. 

“It was a moment very similar to this moment, in that a door was opened and the possibilities are endless,” Drew said. “Many thanks to Miami University, Tom Smith, and (art advisor) Heidi McWilliams for their belief and bravery to explore the unknown with me.”

Smith also donated Mark di Suvero’s “For Kepler,” installed in the Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum’s Sculpture Park; Ursula von Rydingsvard’s “Heart in Hand,” located in Schiewetz Fine Arts Plaza; and Jun Kaneko’s “Capturing the Scent of Rain,” which resides behind Benton Hall in Miami’s North Quad.

Smith previously served on the Miami University Foundation Board and supports the popular JANUS Forum, which provides a place for members of the community to come together and discuss opposing views freely and passionately.

“Leonardo Drew’s ‘Number 381’ is an exciting new addition to our Oxford campus that enriches the experience of everyone visiting Miami,” Miami President Gregory Crawford said. “We are grateful for Tom Smith’s continuing efforts to make such a lasting and transformative impact on our university with this remarkable work of art.”

Based in New York, Drew has crafted sculptural works for more than three decades. He is known for crafting contemplative abstract sculptural works that play upon a tension between chaos and order.

Drew also will present an Artist Talk at 5:50 p.m. on May 2 as part of the College of Creative Arts’ Contemporary Art Forum course. Led by professor of Art Tracy Featherstone, the presentation at the art museum is free and open to the public. 

“Leonardo Drew has been doing some quite ambitious work in recent years,” said Jack Green, director and chief curator of Miami’s art museum. “This is a new direction and a new medium for him to work in.”

Drew’s work is internationally renowned, and he’s been included in several public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, both in New York, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. Drew is represented by Galerie Lelong & Co., New York. 

Green hopes Drew’s latest work inspires engaging dialogue and creates an opportunity to share ideas.

“In contrast to the experience of viewing art within an art museum space, this installation provides a way to experience art within an outdoor, open environment,” Green said. “It’s an important part of any great university campus to share and make art available to students and the general public. It’s really for everyone.”