Shongon XXIII by Ernest Shaw

Three sculptures by Ernest Shaw dot the campus of UC Santa Barbara. This one is located along the main walkway between the Library and Girvetz Hall. Its prominent location at one of the busiest pedestrian areas of campus would be quite striking if it were not partially hidden behind a lamppost. This area is known as the Arbor Mall, named after the convenience store which sits at the north end of Gervitz Hall. During the school year, it is a major gathering place for various clubs and organizations-- many set up tables and booths to encourage membership in various groups.

Dr. Ernest Shaw is a self-taught sculptor, as well as a psychiatrist who practiced in Kingston, New York. He began sculpting in 1973, and this piece, Shongon XXIII, was completed in 1978. Steel columns and curves are welded into complex configurations that integrate equilibrium and expansion. Developed in tandem with his interests in Buddhism, meditation, and mind/body therapies, Shaw's work reflects mindfulness and challenges habitual ways of perceiving.

Shongon XXIII is 194 inches high x 42 inches wide, red painted steel, and was a gift to the Museum collection in 1978 by Mr. and Mrs. Don L. Gevirtz. Accession number 1982.22.

Woods, Lyn. Armor & the Man, hv1. August 17th 2017. Accessed June 15th 2021. https://hudsonvalleyone.com/2017/08/17/armor-the-man/.

Shaw, Ernest. Accessed June 15th 2021. https://ernestshaw.net/artist-statement/.