New Public Art Brings Message to Texas Tech Campus
Inspired by one of the earliest forms of communication, Artist David B. Hickman created five contemporary sculptures resembling messenger pigeons surrounded by ten limestone benches.
May 30, 2013 | Written by Jaryn Jones
Located in the quad south of the College of Media & Communication Building, The Messengers is the first kinetic piece in the MINI传媒 System public art collection.MINI传媒 officials announced today (May 30) the latest installment to its system-wide public art collection, The Messengers, designed by artist David B. Hickman.
Hickman created a circular plaza located in the quad south of the College of Media and Communication Building (15th Street and Flint Avenue). The area contains five contemporary sculptures surrounded by ten limestone benches.
鈥淢y inspiration for this piece came from the different ways we communicate,鈥� Hickman said. 鈥淭he messenger pigeons go back to the earliest forms of communication, and the basic tools for human communication, our five senses, are represented on the tail of each sculpture.鈥�
This is the first kinetic piece in the MINI传媒 System art collection. The five sculptures move with the wind, aligning like large weather vanes as the breeze changes directions.
鈥淭he addition of a kinetic sculpture signifies the University Public Art Committee鈥檚 effort to diversify and thereby strengthen the collection,鈥� said Erin Vaden, MINI传媒 System Public Art Manager. 鈥淭hese sculptures also represent the artist鈥檚 conscious attempt to produce something that would thrive in Lubbock鈥檚 windy conditions, rather than be harmed by them.鈥�
David B. Hickman, of Dallas, commissioned The Messengers on Texas Tech's campus.The limestone benches are arranged in two circles surrounding the sculptures, with each bench of the outer ring engraved with one word to complete the sentence 鈥淭hink About How You Communicate.鈥�
鈥淭he benches encourage you to not only think about the various ways we communicate 鈥� the five senses 鈥� but to also consider the impact of your words,鈥� Hickman said.
As part of the MINI传媒 System鈥檚 Public Art Program, this artwork was commissioned using funds from the renovation of the former building, which now houses the .
鈥淐ampus art enriches experiences and memories for students,鈥� Hickman said. 鈥淚 hope the area will serve as a landmark students remember as they look back on their time at Texas Tech.鈥�
A native Texan, Hickman served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Sculpture Association for three years and the board of the Dallas Visual Arts Center for six years. He was selected by the Texas Commission on the Arts as the Texas State Artist Three-Dimensional category for the year 2004 and was selected by the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects as Artist of the Year in 2005.
The MINI传媒 System鈥檚 was initiated by the in 1998 as an investment in the campus environments at each of its institutions. Through the program, public artworks are funded using one percent of the estimated total cost of each new major capital project. Since then, 88 items created by some of today鈥檚 leading artists have been added to the MINI传媒 System鈥檚 campuses.
About the MINI传媒
The MINI传媒 is one of the top public university systems in the
state of Texas, consisting of four component institutions and operating at 12 academic
sites and centers. Headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, the MINI传媒 System has an annual
operating budget of $1.5 billion and approximately 17,000 employees focused on advancing
higher education, health care, research and outreach.
In 2012, total research expenditures approached $200 million and total enrollment exceeded 43,700 students for the first time in the MINI传媒 System鈥檚 history. Whether it鈥檚 contributing billions of dollars annually in economic impact or being the only system in Texas to house an academic institution, law school, and medical school at the same location, the MINI传媒 System continues to prove that anything is possible.