A mystery no more: Mulva Cultural Center unveils new 'curious planet' sculpture. Five things to know about eye-catching sphere

DE PERE - After a summer shrouded in mystery beneath a bright yellow covering, the Mulva Cultural Center’s newest sculpture is out for the world to see.

“The curious planet,” an 18-foot tall sphere by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, was revealed during a public dedication Saturday morning on the center’s terrace, complete with brilliant blue skies to show off its intricacies.

Whether you see it on your daily commute or stop by to marvel at it from the patio overlooking the Fox River, here’s a quick introduction.

What's so cool about it?

The more you look at it, the more you see, including yourself in the reflections of the circular glass panes. Mirrors reflect the sky above. At its center are four arms that extend out into a network of smaller arms and geometric patterns. There are 12 pentagons in all.

The blue glass of the inner layer is like Lake Michigan, Eliasson said on Saturday, and the gap between the inner and outer layers is representative of the critical zone of the planet — the Earth's outer skin that supports most life. He hopes the piece inspires people to reflect on life in that thin layer, be grateful for it and protect it.

“Reminiscent of brain synapse, lava trails, or ripple marks, these networks mirror the intricate web of connections that bind us together to our environments. 'The curious planet' places faith in the recognition that everything is connected and constantly evolving," Eliasson said in a statement provided by the Mulva.

Some may see the planet or the inner workings of a brain or even a dandelion head gone to seed.

“Looks like a dandelion, right?” Eliasson joked on Saturday. “Don’t say that I said that ... suddenly everyone calls it 'The dandelion.'"

He said he hopes the piece inspires all who see it to "make up your own stories, make up your own fantasies and use your own imagination."

'The curious planet' has been in the works for several years.

Jim and Miriam Mulva, the philanthropists behind the $100 million Mulva Cultural Center that opened in December, knew they wanted a signature piece of artwork to complement “a stunning, a wow building.” During their extensive travels, they recalled being struck by a sculpture by Eliasson they saw in Oslo, Norway, and knew they wanted him to be the artist.

“The curious planet” fits the Mulva’s mission to “stimulate the intellectual curiosity of all people, of all ages, of all interest groups,” Jim Mulva said during the ceremony. Like programming inside the building, it also unites art and science.

The sculpture will adapt from day to night and through northeastern Wisconsin's four seasons, he said.

“It’s timeless. It’s both simple and it’s complex. It fits with the environment of Wisconsin, the United States, the northern part of the United States,” he said. "... I doubt that any of us will ever get tired of it."

Installation of "The curious planet" began earlier this summer by three members of Eliasson's team. It's one of five sculptures outside the Mulva.

More: 'Star Wars' exhibit tops Mulva Cultural Center's 2025 lineup of traveling exhibits coming to De Pere

More: 'Multiple and compound failures': Mulva Cultural Center sues exhibits provider for $1.4M

Will it be visible at night?

Yes, it will be illuminated nightly.

How can I get a better look at it?

Mulva Cultural Center guests are welcome to admire it from the terrace. Admission to the Mulva is free; only touring exhibits in the Exhibition Hall and films require a paid ticket. There are also still three free Savour, Sips and Sounds concerts from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays on the nearby north patio.

Artist Olafur Eliasson went home with Seroogy's chocolates.

Eliasson, whose large-scale works can be seen around the world, had the pleasure of indulging in Seroogy’s chocolates the evening before the dedication. When the Mulva staff learned how much he liked them, they surprised him during the dedication ceremony by sending him home with a sizable red box from the 125-year-old family business in De Pere.

He was all set to open it on the spot and share with those in attendance, but Mulva president Marvin Wall cautioned him there might not have been enough to go around.

Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or kmeinert@greenbay.gannett.com. Follow her on X @KendraMeinert.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Mulva Cultural Center unveils its new 'curious planet' sculpture