The Flint Hills Discovery Center has installed Vigilance, a new large-scale public sculpture by Kansas artist Alan Tollakson, outside the Center’s main entrance. The sculpture, featuring a bison cow and calf pairing carved from solid limestone, is intended to serve as a lasting symbol of the region, its ecology, and the importance of environmental stewardship.
Carved from Flint Hills limestone, Vigilance features a life-size cow bison standing guard over her newborn calf. Her solid, frontal stance shows her readiness to protect her calf from predators and other forms of danger, while also surveying the prairie. This depicts the female Bison as a protector of her precious species and symbolizes the need for diligent stewardship of the Flint Hills region.
The piece was selected for its artistic merit, durability, symbolism, and educational value, and is intended to contribute to Manhattan’s public art landscape while also supporting the Flint Hills Discovery Center’s mission to interpret the tallgrass prairie and its lifeways.
“Public art has a remarkable way of shaping how a community sees itself,” noted Stephen Bridenstine, Flint Hills Discovery Center Director. “It gives people a place to gather, reflect, and feel connected to something larger than themselves. Vigilance is more than a beautiful sculpture—it is a tribute to the spirit of the Flint Hills, to the importance of preserving our natural heritage, and to the generosity of those who invest in our shared future.”