University Public Arts Commission Records

This collection houses correspondence, agendas, minutes, contracts, maps, newspaper clippings, and other materials documenting Arizona State University’s Design Review Board and Public Arts Commission, which were charged with overseeing public art installations and the design aspects of alterations to existing buildings. The majority of these materials show ASU’s Tempe campus, but the West campus is also represented.

Series I: Office Files is divided into two sub-series. Sub-Series A: Public Art Projects consists of files documenting public art projects installed on ASU’s campuses and the design aspects of additions to and renovations of various campus buildings. Among the artworks documented are Emry Kopta’s The Flute Player, Dale Eldred’s VisionLens: Light and Future, and Luis Jimenez’s Southwest Pieta. Building projects include an addition to Hayden Library (1988-1989), expansion of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, commissioned artwork for the Student Recreation Complex, and a commemorative marker for Goodwin Stadium.

Sub-Series B: General Office Files shows the operation of the University’s Design Review Board and Public Arts Commission, including master plans, minutes and agendas, memoranda, contracts, press coverage, proposals, contracts, and other materials. Of particular note are materials documenting public artwork installed at ASU’s West campus at the time of its construction.

Series II: Artist Files includes contracts, correspondence, financial information, publicity, and other materials documenting ASU’s commissioning of public artworks from individual artists. These artists include Maria Alquilar, El Zarco Guerrero, Jules Heller, Kenneth Matsumoto, Aiko Miyawaki, and Robert Slutzky.