Article by Kayla Williams. Photos courtesy of Kayla Williams and SCSU Archives.
Charles Huntington was born in May 1925 and was born in Niagara, Wisconsin. Huntington is an Ojibwe Native and did Military service in the U.S. Navy at age 17, serving during World War II. He studied at Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1960, but did not finish his degree.
After the war, he raced and repaired cars, where he became interested in found-object art, collecting materials from junkyards. Huntington later began creating sculptures using original materials rather than found objects.
Huntington is a self-taught sculptor. Despite his limited formal education, he became known as one of Minnesota’s top sculptors. He died on March 20, 2017.
Creating Perspectives
According to the SCSU Press release from Nov 1988 to May 1989, SCSU and the Minnesota “Percent for Art” program announced that four sculptors will present models of exterior sculptures for the St. Cloud University campus mall.
The program is when public buildings are built or renovated, one percent of the budget is set aside for art. In this case, it was Stewart Ha, being renovated in 1988-1989. SCSU had $6.5million for renovations, and the one percent program set assisted 71K for art and 45K specifically for Huntington’s sculpture.
The sculpture project has a $71,000 budget. Artists worldwide were notified a year before submitting their ideas.
The Precent for Art Committee and SCSU announced the project for Nov. 15. Running from 1 to 4 p.m., the four winning artists were: Charles Huntington, Janet Lofquist, John Van Alstine, and Alexander Hunenko.
After the fall and winter of 1989, the sculpture will be dedicated in May 1990, Mary Soroko said. Huntington will be tasked with unveiling a sculpture for campus mall opposite Stewart Hall.
Huntington designed a large outdoor sculpture called Perspectives that stands in front of the Stewart building. Perspective is 12 feet tall and 18 feet wide. Before it was built into the huge sculpture seen on campus today, he created a small model to show what the final sculpture would look like.
Dedication for Perspectives artwork with Charles Huntington, St. Cloud State University // Photo provided by SCSU Archives.
His sculpture was made from steel and designed to be viewed from different angles. As people walk around it, the shapes and lines look different, which is one reason why it is called Perspectives.
Showing of the Sculpture
In May 1990, Huntington’s finished sculpture was put on campus. Mary Soroko, the assistant vice president of administrative affairs and program chair, said: “We wanted a sculpture that would produce a sense of community ownership and be a symbol of the university”. Before Charlie worked on his sculpture, according to the SCSU Press release from Nov 1988 to May 1989
The dedication of his artwork was again presented at the Lemonade Concert and Art Fair in July 1990, Where people shopped at vendor booths.
Dedication for Perspectives artwork with Charles Huntington, St. Cloud State University // Photo provided by SCSU Archives.
Huntington left a message about his piece that is found on the plaque next to his piece, explaining his idea in front of the sculpture:
“My work represents the interaction of St. Cloud State University students, faculty, and administrators, all working together toward a similar and thus common goal, but often having vastly different perspectives on the educational process. The medium and its shapes chosen draw on the human energy exhibited by campus pedestrians and movements to introduce a formal element to a vibrant, functional environment. Depending on where the viewer stands, the season, or weather conditions, they will see a different perspective of their surroundings.” – Charles Huntington (1990)
SCSU and Perspectives
Today, Perspectives remains an important part of campus art at St. Cloud State University. It still connects students to the school’s history and shows how art can be part of everyday life, but the information on where to look is scarce.
Tom Steman an University Archivist who works at St.Cloud State for 19 years. Had mentioned that many students overlook art on campus that is everywhere, yet not easy to find/ take notice of.
Students being focused on going to class causes them not to take much from it
Charles Huntington’s artistic statement is: “Visual creation depends upon the artist’s ability to see and judge relationships; the measure of success of a visually creative individual is the extent to which he is able to see and judge the relationships that he has produced.” Said the SCSU Press release from Nov 1988 to May 1989.
Steman, when asked, How do you think the students today connect or interpret the sculpture differently? Steman said a student had brought to his attention that the piece looks like ‘three pieces of cheese with holes in it.” Yet he appreciates the art on campus, but it doesn’t strongly connect with him.
Cat Ahmed, a 19-year-old sophomore at SCSU, had said, “Cool that we have a sculpture in the middle of campus”. Even if students aren’t fully interested or understand the meaning.
Ahmed had also mentioned: “I think art on campus is important, but I wish there was more information about it so students could easily learn what it is.”
SCSU staff and students recognize the artwork, yet they don’t acknowledge it. Yet the plaques of art should be more noticeable for students to connect better to what is around them.
You may have seen Huntington’s work and not realize it. Here are some locations of his art in Minnesota:
● Mayo Clinic
● Normandale Community College
● Black Forest Inc.
● South High School
● University of Wisconsin
● General Mills Metro Interchange Park
Perspectives in winter of 2026, standing since the 80s // Photo taken by Kayla Williams
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