The first day of the spring semester oversaw the unveiling of a giant bobcat sculpture resting on Cibolo Hall, the latest public art project at Texas State University and of the Texas State University System (TSUS) public art collection.
In 2008, TSUS started a policy that set aside 1% of construction costs of each major building project that cost at least $1 million toward public art. The goal is to expand its public art collection with pieces that create unique spaces on campuses and reflect the campuses’ history and values.
“[Having a range of different types of public works] just makes people interested in not only the landscape of the campus but also the architecture of the campus, both inside and outside,” Tamara Johnson, assistant professor of art, said.
The director of public art brings together a committee of public art — consisting of students, faculty, staff and community members — which meets as needed to evaluate artists for public art projects and endorse public art proposals for TSUS’ institutions. When the committee met in 2023, it confirmed five artists to create four artworks.
“The committee aims to integrate public art into the campus identity, making it a significant part of the university’s character,” Rebecca Porter, sculpture senior and committee member, said. “You get this cool extra addition, this public art that becomes a piece of the campus and becomes a part of [its] identity.”
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Adam Parker Smith’s sculpture “Minerva,” Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at the J.C. Kellam Administration building.
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Artists Adrian Aguilera and Betelhem Makonnen’s neon sign “untitled (in the beginning was the photon),” Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, at Live Oak Hall. The sign displays the text: “the message is the medium the medium is light shine the light.”
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Between summer 2024 and spring 2025, the artworks “National Pastime II” on the east-west mall connection, “Minerva” in front of the J. C. Kellam Building, “untitled (in the beginning was the photon)” on Live Oak Hall’s exterior wall and “LOCAL HABITAT” on top of the entrance to Cibolo Hall were installed.
Nisa Barger, director of public art for TSUS, said the phases between each artwork’s selection and unveiling depends on certain characteristics like the medium.
“Is it an existing work of art that we’ve purchased and we’re bringing to campus… or is it a completely new site-specific thing that has never existed before and is designed specifically with the place and the building in mind?” Barger said.
Once the conceptual design is selected and approved, the artist coordinates with a project manager on campus to deliver the artwork. A design team, architects and engineers work on the project to provide reviews and ensure it conforms. The installation phase begins when the site can receive the fabricated artwork.
With ongoing construction occurring on campus, it will be a few more years before the next public art project comes to Texas State.
“Public art allocations are approved in tandem with new building projects, so as those new building projects come online [in the master plan], there will be more public art,” Barger said.
Johnson said the committee’s selected artworks have multiple entry points to interact with the work. With “Minerva,” she led a class conversation lsat fall about how the sculpture was made and what it references. She believes that with people having different backgrounds and context, they can enjoy it in multiple ways.
“When a sculpture is functioning really well, it can talk to a lot of different types of ages, demographics, genders, identities, all these things,” Johnson said. “Somebody can have some sort of small takeaway, or maybe your takeaway is way bigger, but sometimes it can be also very light.”
To view Texas State University System’s public art collection, visit https://www.tsus.edu/tsus-public-art.html.
