Colby College celebrated the installation of a spectacular 14-foot-tall Corten steel sculpture by renowned American modernist Albert Paley on October 16, marking the beginning of a transformative campus art initiative. The monumental piece, titled "Proscenium EX-252," represents the first major artwork from a promised gift by Rob Radloff and Ann Beha, D.F.A. 24, designed to bring museum-quality art throughout the campus and strengthen Colby's commitment to integrating art into daily life.
The impressive sculpture now stands prominently along Mayflower Hill Drive in front of the Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts, creating a dramatic and welcoming entrance to the building. Featuring sharp angles and soft curves that reach skyward, "Proscenium EX-252" masterfully explores the intersection of architectural elements and organic forms, serving as both a gateway and artistic statement for the campus arts venue.
In addition to the Paley sculpture, Radloff and Beha have donated "Catch I" by John Walker, a British-born, Maine-based modernist painter whose works are featured in nearly 50 museums worldwide. The large-scale oil painting, which will be displayed on campus in the coming months, is part of Walker's recent abstract series inspired by the Maine coast, rendered entirely in varying shades of blue that capture the essence of the region's maritime beauty.
The donors have committed to sharing additional pieces from their extensive collection to enhance the artistic experience for the entire Colby community. The Rob Radloff and Ann Beha Collection gift will include paintings, photographs, and other significant artworks that will be strategically placed inside academic and administrative buildings as well as community spaces throughout the campus.
Their remarkable collection features important 20th-century paintings and sculptures by acclaimed artists including Arthur Dove, Beverly Pepper, Juan Gris, Helen Frankenthaler, Oscar Bluemner, Louise Bourgeois, David Hockney, Mark di Suvero, and many other distinguished names in modern art. This comprehensive donation promises to transform the campus into a living gallery where students, faculty, and visitors can engage with world-class art on a daily basis.
During the celebration, which coincided with a meeting of the Colby Board of Trustees, President David A. Greene expressed profound gratitude to the generous donors. "They are the most amazing people," Greene said, noting that neither Radloff nor Beha, nor any of their children, attended Colby. "They are doing so much for this institution. They're phenomenal in so many ways."
Greene described the Paley sculpture as a defining statement piece for the Gordon Center, emphasizing its powerful visual impact. "When you come up to this building, it says that art lives here," he explained. "You don't have to say it in words, you just have that sculpture out there, and your eyes go to it—and wow. It truly looks as if this was a site-specific sculpture. From its scale to the coloring, to the design itself, it looks like Albert Paley said, 'This has got to go to the Gordon Center.'"
The installation process was a carefully orchestrated operation involving a crane and precise maneuvering to position the massive sculpture on its specially constructed concrete-and-steel foundation pad in front of the Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts. The technical complexity of the installation underscored the significance and permanence of this artistic addition to the campus landscape.
The decision to donate the sculpture to Colby came during the couple's 50th anniversary travels in June 2025. Originally, Radloff and Beha had planned to install the Paley piece on their private property in Maine, but after visiting Mayflower Hill during the summer, they decided to make it the centerpiece of their promised gift to the college.
"We just decided that we ought to share this with the Colby community now rather than place it at our house where few people would see it," explained Radloff, who came to campus to witness the installation earlier in the week. "This is a perfect, prominent spot on campus, a gateway and crossroad to the Gordon Center, Colby's new, wonderful campus arts venue."
Beha, a prominent architect, noted that the placement of the Paley sculpture outside the Gordon Center holds special significance for her personally. She explained that the location appropriately showcases the majesty of the piece, and the connection is particularly meaningful because she maintains longtime friendships and professional relationships with William Rawn and many members of William Rawn Architects, the firm responsible for designing the Gordon Center building.
"Paley is a maker," Beha observed. "His work is forged by hand, reflecting a lifetime exploration of materials, form, and space. He is as interested in metallurgy as he is in sculpture—a special combination of art and fabrication. I've seen his monumental and smaller pieces all across America—always fresh, visually arresting, accessible, and memorable."
Jacqueline Terrassa, the Carolyn Muzzy Director of the Colby College Museum of Art, emphasized that the campus art initiative represents a collaborative effort involving the museum and multiple campus departments. "With the placement of stunning artworks such as Albert Paley's sculpture and John Walker's vibrant painting, 'Catch I,' we are creating moments of delight and awe on campus that slow us down, calling us to attention," Terrassa said.
She further explained the complexity and collaborative nature of implementing such an ambitious program. "Realizing a campus art program takes many partners, from our donors to colleagues in operations and grounds," Terrassa noted. "The Colby Museum is proud to play a key role in the team, providing expert guidance to create new ways to experience art and make our campus even more of an art destination."
Albert Paley, born in 1944, began his distinguished career as a jeweler before evolving into one of America's most influential metalsmiths and sculptors. His works are permanently housed in prestigious institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Smithsonian Museum, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, among others.
Paley's reputation reached new heights in 2013 when 13 of his monumental sculptures were installed along Park Avenue in New York City, creating a temporary outdoor gallery that captivated millions of visitors. Earlier this year, he achieved another significant milestone by becoming the first metal sculptor to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Institute of Architects, recognizing his contributions to both art and architectural design. He continues to work from his studio in Rochester, New York, where he creates pieces that push the boundaries of metalwork and sculptural art.
