Public Art Brings Petroleum Engineering Outside the Classroom

Written by Jaryn Jones Kilmer

Thanks to the latest Texas Tech University System public art installation, students studying in the new Terry Fuller Petroleum Engineering Research Building can enjoy a new perspective on the subject by stepping outside the classroom walls.

Created by artist Juanjo Novella of Portugalete, Spain, the steel sculpture, titled “Fountain,” is located in the south courtyard of the new facility. The structure stands 20 feet tall and is meant to conjure images of swirling water, geologic formations or oil flowing through pipes.

“I was inspired by how petroleum and water move together and wanted to integrate that into the piece,” Novella said. “The sculpture depicts the movement and flow of water as if from a spring, which is where the name originates.”

The elements of the sculpture were cut out of one-inch pieces of thick steel, which come together to create a deliberately free-flowing appearance and promote individual interpretation.

Weighing 11 tons, the piece is positioned to invite visitors into the courtyard. The openings of the sculpture cast shadows on the ground during the day and when lit at night, resulting in dramatic visual impact.

Novella was selected from 32 applicants and began creating the $193,000 project during construction of the Terry Fuller Petroleum Engineering Research Building. This was his first commission in the United States, having completed works in Europe, Asia and New Zealand.

“Mr. Novella did an outstanding job of portraying elements of petroleum engineering through his art,” said Al Sacco, dean of the Whitacre College of Engineering. “We are proud to boast one of the finest petroleum engineering facilities in the country, and this sculpture is the perfect addition to our new building.”

The 42,000-square-foot facility houses state-of-the-art classroom and research space, allowing students and faculty to integrate formal teaching environments with hands-on practical applications.

The TTU System’s Public Art Program was initiated by the Board of Regents in 1998 as an investment in the campus environments at each of its institutions. Through the program, public artworks are funded using one percent of the estimated total cost of each new major capital project. Since then, 98 items created by some of today’s leading artists have been added to the TTU System’s campuses.

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