Shalev: Angel of Compassion Attraction

This gleaming bronze figure kneeling under a twelve-foot granite arch is located near the MacLeod Barn Abbey, in sight of the Wabash River. Several smaller stones are placed nearby for meditation and reflection. The sculpture was created by New York artist Tobi Kahn in 1993.

Known primarily as an abstract expressionist painter, Tobi Kahn created this New Harmony piece as his first major commissioned sculpture. The bronze figure within the South Dakota pink granite shelter was first carved in wood, then cast in bronze in Chicago. The title of the piece, Shalev, comes from “sha,” meaning peace, and “lev,” meaning heart. Jane Blaffer Owen and Kahn identified the location of the sculpture, responding to the proximity of the Wabash River. Some visitors find a romantic aspect to the work and have even been married in front of it. Kahn’s philosophy is that art is healing and transformative. His stated intent is to involve the viewer with the art so they bring their own interpretations to the experience.