New Knight Medallion

A new Knight medallion hangs proudly in the Luther Student Center.

The Campus Beautification Committee asked artist Jason Jaspersen to sculpt this bas-relief as a complement to the medallions of Northwestern College and Dr. Martin Luther College also hanging in the center.

With funding from the MLC Student Senate and assistance from the art students at Bethany Lutheran College, where he teaches, Jaspersen sculpted a Knight who’s noble and courageous—and uniquely Lutheran.

The clasp of his cape features Luther’s seal. His mask is overlaid with Gothic arches replete with symbols of Word and Sacrament. And olive branches, emblems of victory and peace, form portions of the border.

Like all significant art, the image makes a striking first impression but doesn’t stop there. It continues to deliver visual rewards as viewers look again and yet again.

As Jaspersen developed the concept for the medallion, he knew it was important to get the tone right. In a world struggling to define the parameters of authority and justice, he said, “I wanted to move this image away from one of brutality to a defender of the faith. I wanted to get to ‘distinctively Lutheran’ and suggest chivalry rather than oppression.”

Inspection proves that he achieved his goal, and MLC Knights for generations will stand up and take notice.