Andrãƒâ©e Bober the Books Editor and Director of the Universitys Landmarks Public Art Program

On the surface, Andrée Bober admits her full-fourth dimension task and evening passion projection don't appear to have that much in common. But take a closer await, and the curator and arts administrator believes they are aligned toward the same goal.

By day, Bober (B.F.A., Art History, 1992) leads The University of Texas at Austin's public fine art program, Landmarks. For more than than a decade, she spent her off time sorting through the more than 170 million objects archived across campus to create The Collections. Released by Academy of Texas Press on January. 22, the book—which weighs in at more than than ten pounds—is the first comprehensive look at the more than 80 collections spread beyond the Xl Acres.

"Both Landmarks and The Collections are about accessibility and making the material available for people to engage with information technology in the broadest possible way," said Bober, who founded Landmarks in 2008. "Our job is to bring great art onto the campus. It also creates a learning opportunity for people."

Landmarks is not only responsible for bringing fine art to campus in an attainable way, simply the program as well provides tours and other outreach events to encourage participation in the arts.

"I do it because I think it's important not just to put it there for people to run across, but to scroll out the welcome mat," she said.

The Collections has a similar goal. Bober describes the 720-page book equally a "road map."

With beautiful color photos, a foreword by UT Austin President Gregory L. Fenves and essay by History Professor Emeritus Lewis Gould, The Collections truly displays the unique and massive amount of material on campus.

"It squarely establishes the university as the cultural repository of Texas and ane of the leading collections in the world. Information technology's an important distinction and a point of pride," Bober said. "I hope that information technology serves to raise appreciation of the extraordinary resources that stalk from our work."

Office of the challenge of this projection was locating collections, pitching her piece of work to its caretakers and then documenting and photographing items.

"These collections were never created with a long-term cohesive plan and accept developed without coordinated oversight," she said. "This projection couldn't happen without Dean Doug Dempster'due south leadership. He was intrigued by it, and for more than a decade he has opened doors and encouraged his peers. This was not a mandated project. Information technology was a grassroots endeavour."

Going through the collections, Bober revisited some drawings she worked with during an internship at the Archer M. Huntington Fine art Gallery—predecessor of the Blanton Museum of Art. In particular, the drawing "The Holy Family" by Batholameous Spranger (Figure 122) stood out among the crowd.

"I remember it very clearly," she said. "Considering I included it in an exhibition of drawings I curated in 1991. I was at a tender age and it all was very illuminating."

At present that the book is completed and available, Bober hopes it ignites curiosity, furthers enquiry and increases collaborations across campus.

"I hope that information technology inspires people inside the academy customs to seek out materials that have resonance with their own areas of research. I know colleagues who might discover benefit by exploring some of the work highlighted here," she said. "For the community, I hope that people will come up to find the richness of the collections and the academy, and if they have involvement in certain areas, they will support them."

Inside the College of Fine Arts, some of the featured collections include a chapter on Landmarks, some other on the Department of Art and Fine art History, the Rob Roy Kelly American Woods Type Collection (on loan to the Fine art Department from the Harry Ransom Middle), and the Historic Clothing Collection in the Section of Theatre and Dance.

The Collections is available now through UT Press, and a portion of sales go to support Landmarks.

Photos: Stirrup spout canteen, Peru, Mochica Early Intermediate Period, Art and Fine art History Collection, College of Fine Arts. Photograph by Mark Menjivar. Antique Lite Face Extended, The Hamilton Manufacturing Company 1891–ca. 1920 wood type blocks, The Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection, College of Fine Arts. Photo by Adam Voorhees.