Public Art Competition Honoring Matthew Gaines and the 12th Texas Legislature

Texas A&M University competition to commission public art installation

Texas A&M University announced an open competition for professional artists or artist teams in 2020 to commission a site specific public art installation commemorating contributions made by Matthew Gaines, Washington County’s first African American state senator, and the 12th Texas Legislature. The winning artist team of David Alan Clark and Mary Johnson (MJ) Clark was announced in November 2020. View their work on their website and learn more about the artists.

The installation now resides on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, Texas, on the Yolanda and Jimmy ’65 Janacek Plaza behind Rudder Tower and adjacent to the Student Services Building. Dedication and unveiling of the statue was Friday, Nov. 19, 2021 at 3 p.m.

Gaines served in the 12th Texas Legislature. He was a vocal supporter of Senate Bill 276, which allowed the state to establish the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas under the Land-Grant College Act of 1862, also known as the Morrill Act. Learn more about Matthew Gaines and the 12th Texas legislature.

The Matthew Gaines Initiative was formed in the fall of 2018 and is an organization whose members are students at Texas A&M University. Through their outreach and fundraising efforts, the Matthew Gaines Initiative works to raise awareness about Senator Matthew Gaines and his indisputable contributions to the establishment of Texas A&M. Several committees, such as outreach, programming, marketing, fundraising, and art commemoration, have been led by these students to promote the erection of the statue commemorating the work of Matthew Gaines. The Initiative continues to remain active following the construction of the statue in order to sustain the legacy of Senator Gaines for generations to come.

Texas A&M University’s Student Senate passed the Matthew Gaines Commemoration Bill on Nov. 1, 2018, to memorialize the former Texas Senator.

Interested artists and artist teams were asked to submit their entries with a résumé and images of three different previous public art projects. Artists were asked to consider figurative elements as part of their concept and the following inspirational words when coming up with ideas for the public art installation: