PaperCity // Catherine D. Anspon // 12.17.19: As the University of Houston System stakes its claim as one of the seminal universities in the country to embrace and commission public art of diversity, significance and visual impact (the wow factor), a book that proves the collection’s cultural currency arrives.
Public Art UHS director and chief curator Dr. María C. Gaztambide oversaw the publication of the just-released volume, On Site: 50 Years of Public Art of the University of Houston System. Serving as essential guide to the ever-expanding nearly 700-piece collection housed across five campuses — the original University of Houston on Cullen Boulevard, as well as Clear Lake, downtown, Sugar Land and Victoria — On Site was published by Scala Arts & Heritage in time for Public Art UHS’ 50th-anniversary celebration in the fall.
Spanning the early days of Public Art UHS to today and detailing 42 works reflecting the depth and range of its holdings, the book is immersive and compelling. Beautifully photographed artwork imagery pairs with concise essays commissioned from curators, art historians and scholars to convey the importance of works by figures from art history, as well as those who have shaped Houston into a 21st-century art capital.