A new time capsule mural has been installed at Arkansas Tech University, as part of a collaboration between the university and the Windgate Foundation. The public mural was created by Haylee Bolinger, who was the Windgate Foundation Artist-in-Residence at ATU for the spring 2023 semester. Bolinger invited people from both the ATU community and beyond to email a photo of an item that holds personal value to them along with a story or memory about the item during her residency. She used these elements as inspiration to create a mural that is “a vivid, dreamlike snapshot of the things that bring us joy in 2023.”
The theme of Bolinger’s mural is transformation, with a mix of where we come from and where we are going. It captures the magic and excitement of this process through images inspired by personal stories and memories shared by members of the community.
Bolinger has an MFA in sculpture from Arizona State University and a BFA in studio art from the University of Wyoming. She has maintained an active art practice since earning her MFA, showing her work nationally and internationally for seven years with Got It For Cheap, a traveling group show featuring over 2,000 participating artists.
The time capsule mural is part of Arkansas Tech’s ongoing collaboration with Windgate Foundation. The program is made possible by a grant from Windgate Foundation, which has also provided financial support for various other initiatives at ATU over the past five years.
As per the report, Bolinger hopes that his artwork will inspire others to share their own stories and memories through public art installations like this one. The installation can be found on the south side of Norman Hall on ATU campus in Russellville. To learn more about Arkansas Tech’s Art Department visit www.atu.edu/art.
