Howard Ben Tré

Casey Shearer Memorial, 2003

• Cast low-expansion glass, cast bronze, patina
• 9' x 28"
• Dedicated by members of the Class of 2000 and the Winnick Family Foundation
• Installed in the Casey Shearer '00 Courtyard, between Faunce House and Salomon Hall

The sculptural fountain created by sculptor Howard Ben Tré commemorates Brown student Casey Shearer, class of 2000. It is located between Faunce House and Salomon Hall in a redesigned plaza, designated the Casey Shearer ‘00 Courtyard. A hidden treasure on the Brown campus, the Courtyard provides a quiet site for reading, or enjoying the sight and sounds of the sculpture.  Ben Tré has created an undulating pillar of bronze beads and glass that accentuates the flow of water over its surface. Emanating from the top of the sculpture, water follows the outward curve of the bronze beads, before breaking free and trickling onto the bead beneath, creating an auditory and visual event.

Ben Tré is known for his large-scale glass works. He is considered a pioneer in the field of glass casting. This industrial technique allows him to use glass with other rocks and metals to create his trademark material combinations that are visually compelling and able to withstand outdoor sites. His public works, often sited in plazas and pedestrian areas, engage viewers by offering spaces for sitting or walking around.

Ben Tré is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and lives and works in Providence. He has been featured in exhibitions in the United States, including a solo show at the David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University. His pieces are part of many museum, university, and private collections, and are publically sited in parks and plazas. In addition to site-specific fountains and monumental works, he also creates works on paper, installations, benches, and smaller sculptures.