University Star

A campus committee is drawing up plans to bring more artwork to Texas State.

Timothy Mottet, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. said the Texas State Public Art Committee is heading an initiative to add creative installations to new buildings on campus. The committee is looking to create a database of the university’s art that will be available to the public.

Randall Reid, professor in the School of Art and Design, stands by his work on display in the Undergraduate Admissions Building.

Mottet, who is the chair of the committee, said Texas State currently has about $2 million worth of public art on campus.

“Right now we are evolving,” Mottet said. “We have a vision. We want to make Texas State a public arts destination, and we want the students to benefit from that.”

Public art is all forms of creative work located in a place accessible to the general populace.

According to University Policy and Procedure Statement No. 8.3.4, Texas State is allowed to spend up to 1 percent of construction costs for new buildings on fine art projects at or near the site of development. This policy does not address student art installations or galleries such as those in Alkek Library or the Joann Cole Mitte Art Building.

The public art initiative began in 2006 with placing art on the walls of McCoy Hall. Other buildings that already have public art are the Undergraduate Academic Center and the St. David’s School of Nursing in Round Rock.

Mottet said he hopes Texas State will have a program set up over the next 12 months where an inventory of public art is accessible to the populace. Mottet said he would love for there to be a downloadable walking-tour map of campus art on the Texas State homepage and mobile devices.

“The dream is for students and the public to be able to go up to the art, scan a code and learn about the public art in front of them,” Mottet said.

Mottet said people can expect to see large art installations being added to housing complexes over the next 12 months.

“We want students to become more educated about public art and interact with it,” Mottet said. “We want them to be confused by the art. We want the art to raise questions in them.”

A mobile titled “River of Leaves,” designed by Daniel Goldstein, will be placed in the atrium of the North Campus Housing Complex’s lobby, Mottet said. Goldstein’s art has been exhibited in leading galleries and museums around the world. Mottet said the mobile will capture the “spirit and psychology” of the San Marcos River.

“Fish Bellies” by Joe O’Connell and Blessing Hancock will be placed in the courtyard of the North Housing Complex. Mottet said the acrylic piece of art will light up at night when sat on or touched.

The committee meets an estimated two times per month to compile a short list of artworks to propose to University President Denise Trauth. Mottet said the committee is comprised of him, the chair of the School of Art and Design and the associate vice president for Facilities. The committee additionally includes the director of Facilities Planning, Design and Construction, Art+Artisans and some students.

Art+Artisans is a Texas-based art consulting service in Austin. The service guides the committee to artists in whom it might be interested. Mottet said the committee would like to focus on local, Texan artists.

“The selection of art will meet the needs of the end user, stimulate curiosity and engage students,” Mottet said. “It will reflect a quality that will enhance the prestige of the university by making it an arts destination and reflect a quality that will be positively recognized by the external art community.”

Randall Reid, professor in School of Art and Design, has had many works selected and installed in various buildings on campus, including Undergraduate Admissions and McCoy.

“I recommend artists who want their work to be considered and accepted to be consistent with their works,” Reid said.

Cindy Puente, communication design junior, said the public art inventory will be good for Texas State.

“Our school will get more recognition nationally, and students will be able to know more about the arts here,” Puente said. “I feel like it will improve the communication amongst students and the small art community we have here.”