Sculptor Gail Folwell has unveiled a powerful new public artwork at the University of Notre Dame, honoring the legacy and achievements of women who have shaped the institution over the past five decades.
Titled 50 Years of Women, the work anchors the university’s newly redesigned Main Circle, created by Robert A.M. Stern Architects. Folwell was entrusted with the challenge of abstractly representing five decades of women’s experiences at Notre Dame—a task she approached through movement, emotion, and storytelling in form.
Drawing from archival photographs spanning 1972 to the present, Folwell composed 12 bas-relief vignettes depicting 25 former students. The resulting bronze collage weaves together moments of progress, community, and resilience, forming a visual narrative that honors the women who helped transform Notre Dame.
Installed on the south wall of the Main Circle, the artwork serves as both commemoration and inspiration—a testament to the continuing evolution of women’s roles at the university and beyond. Folwell’s sculpture not only celebrates history but also invites reflection on the power of representation in shaping the future.
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