Northside Residence Hall Sculpture Competition

Pending approval by Texas A&M President Bowen Loftin, the jury has recommended acceptance of the sculpture proposed by Sarah Deppe.

A word from the artist:

In general, my artwork has a strong environmental and science component. Parts of my sculptures are often made from found or reclaimed industrial materials which are not typically used for sculpture, such as plastic, synthetic fabrics and rubber. I like to work with reclaimed materials because up-cycling is less detrimental to the environment, and using materials in new ways offers another layer for the viewer to explore. At other times I incorporate natural elements I have gathered such as living plants, bark and wood into my work in some way. I juxtapose natural and man-made materials to show a contrast between the natural and industrial worlds; not in the form of illustrating an actual problem, just to foster a dialog. My sculptures are often large and have a dynamic flow of visual patterning on the surface created with a textured material.

My concept for this project is to create a section of topographic map. I would like to work with the committee or the College of Science to locate a region of Texas where there has been environmental degradation of the land. I would like the map to graphically represent the original land formation prior to human activity that precipitated the change in the land. This would provide a reference of the land at that time.

My plan is to create this map from different colored (acrylic/HDPE/ect.) plastics layered and spaced apart with metal rods. I use a lot of reclaimed materials in my artwork and I would like to continue that practice with this project. This piece would be interesting if illuminated from behind with LED lights to enhance the effect at night.

Sarah Deppe