IPF Setup Crew’s (not so) Secret Talent: Art Installation
Lucy Cade
October 9, 2026
Art is a visible part of life at Michigan State University (MSU). But what many people don't see is the work that goes into getting those pieces where they belong. Behind the scenes, Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (IPF) plays a key role installing art across campus.
Within the Material & Logistics department in IPF - one of the biggest operations on campus - is the Setup Crew. A team of five whose sole jobs are to, well, set things up. But the portfolio of “setting things up” goes way beyond just installing office furniture and setting up tents for events. The team also installs art... large-scale art.
About three years ago, IPF received a unique request from the Broad Art Museum. "Does IPF have a team that could help us set up and install art for our exhibits?"
Short answer: YES! The Setup Crew’s extensive experience in working with large, unique items means they can handle any request, not to mention their mindset to take on any new challenge!
The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum is known for its world-class contemporary art collection and exhibits, creating a space for artists around the world to leverage and showcase new ideas. The museums’ recent exhibit, We Are This Land: Meditations on the Great American Experiment, is one of the Setup Crew’s recent collaborations.
To recognize the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the museum’s exhibit highlights civics, history, family and kinship, map-making and care for the environment. It is a large-scale group exhibition, featuring multiple artists, and occupies the main galleries of the MSU Broad Art Museum. Learn more about the exhibit.
Enter Robert Gum and Ricardo Rios, two members of the Setup Crew who take on art assignments from the Broad Art Museum.
From placement and assembly to final adjustments, the duo work closely with Brian Kirschensteiner, Chief Preparator; Steven Stradley, Exhibition Producer; and Steven L. Bridges, Senior Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, among others at the museum, including featured artists to ensure the artist's vision is captured. The process requires thoughtful planning and precise execution to create an experience that reflects the intent of the exhibit.
If you walk into the Broad Museum right now, you’ll see Rob and Ricardo’s handy work. The “We Shall Not Be Moved” was created by drilling holes, very accurately, into the wall. The flags hang from the ceiling at different heights. They even assisted with the installation of the Duane Linklater, dislodgevanishskinground, 12 tepee poles hung by steel cable.
As exhibits change throughout the year, the teams at the Broad Art Museum continuously develop innovative ways to display artwork, throwing everything and anything at the Setup Crew to see if can be done – a challenge they consistently rise to meet.
The previous exhibit at the museum, Jan Tichy: Darkness, turned the Julie and Edward J. Minskoff Gallery into a reimagined architectural and multi-sensorial experience, with architectural installation that encourages curiosity about the subject of the dark. The Setup Crew helped to encapsulate the gallery in complete darkness by covering its iconic two-story window.
It isn’t just anyone who can handle large-scale art. Brian Kirschensteiner with the Broad Art Museum, created a comprehensive series of training modules for the Setup Crew before they work on any installations. Through that training, plus their years combined experience at IPF, Rob and Ricardo have developed the expertise needed to safely install and remove large-scale, delicate artwork -- a skill that has made the entire Setup Crew MSU’s official go-to for most art installations.
Over at the new Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center, the Setup Crew installed bronze Holstein dairy cow statues at the entrance, the same breed of cows as MSU dairy herd. Read the full story on the bronze cows here!
And it’s not an occasional assignment; it's an ongoing part of the team's work. In fact, major construction project budgets include costs for the installation of public art, giving the Setup Crew opportunities to work in nearly every corner of campus. Each project provides the team with a deeper understanding of the campus landscape, from building access and infrastructure considerations to how spaces are used by the university community.
Artwork helps create a sense of belonging, whether displayed inside a museum, mounted in a residence hall or standing tall along campus sidewalks; each piece contributes to MSU’s story. And the Setup Crew is always here to help.