Three Graces

Designation

N/A

Donor

N/A

How It Purchased

Commissioned through the State of Illinois Art-in-Architecture Program

Identification Plaque

N/A

Description

Three Graces was created by Illinois sculptor Chris Berti. Installed in 1998, these three large limestone shells rest in a bed of loose stone and serve as an example of an aquatic interest Berti developed while working as a commercial fisherman off Long Island Sound for six years. Berti has a degree in ceramics and taught himself to work in stone, following in the path of his grandfather, who was a stonemason by trade.

Chris Berti earned his BFA from Alfred University in Alfred, New York, and his MFA in ceramics from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. He inherited a set of stone-carving tools from his grandfather, a stonemason and bricklayer in New York City, a number of years after graduation. These tools inspired Berti to carve objects from limestone and salvaged brick. He patiently removes pieces until the final forms and colors  “reveal themselves.” Berti compares this method to the work of an archaeologist uncovering artifacts and shards buried in the ground. Regardless of his medium, Berti always aims to instill the  “spirit of living things” into his creations.” Smithsonian American Art Museum. He lives and works in Champaign, IL.

Reference Sources

• “Chris Berti.” n.d. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Accessed July 6, 2023. https://americanart.si.edu/artist/chris-berti-29007  
• Meckstroth, Steve, and Mark Schmitt. Campus art: A walking tour of selected artwork on the campus of Illinois State University. Normal: University Marketing and Communications, 2003.