The start of summer marks exciting accomplishments for two Landmarks pieces and the talented artists who created them. Today, Americans for the Arts recognized 31 outstanding public arts projects of 2014 through the Public Art Network (PAN) Year in Review program. The works were chosen from more than 300 entries across the country and announced today at Americans for the Arts’ 2015 Annual Convention in Chicago.
Among the projects honored is Casey Reas’ A Mathematical Theory of Communication, a large-scale, computer-generated mural covering two walls near the main atrium of the Gates Dell Complex. Reas' practice complements the work produced in the Department of Computer Science and bridges the gap between the technical world of programming and the visual world of art and design.
A Mathematical Theory of Communication was selected by jurors Peggy Kendellen, Public Art Manager, Regional Arts & Culture Council in Portland, Oregon; Laurie Jo Reynolds, Assistant Professor of Public Arts, Social Justice and Culture at the School of Art and Art History at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and Ernest C. Wong, Principal, site design group, ltd in Chicago. All 31 public art works selected can be seen on the PAN Year in Review page.
Not to be outdone, Nancy Rubins’ Monochrome for Austin was lauded at last week’s Austin Critics Table Awards. The annual award ceremony recognizes artists for their accomplishments in theatre, dance, music and visual art. The jury of local arts critics and journalists honored Monochrome for Austin with 2015’s Flight of Fancy Special Citation Award. Rubins’ work, standing at 50 feet tall and consisting of 70 aluminum canoes and small boats, marks a great addition to the Landmarks collection and The University of Texas at Austin.
Congratulations to Casey Reas and Nancy Rubins for their well-deserved recognition!