The Lapstrake Gateway Sculpture
The Lapstrake Gateway art piece, located at 1012 Boston Ave, Lubbock, TX, is in front of the Engineering and Materials Research Center at Texas Tech University. Land and minimalism inspired The Lapstrake Gateway sculpture.
Considered an abstract sculpture and made of pink granite, the piece measures 23 feet tall. It looks like a big rectangle but with a slanted roof.
The artists’ process for sculpting granite began with drilling small holes and inserting wedges into it. At some point, the artist tears the stone to reveal untouched granite through a pressurization technique.
About the Artist
The creator of Lapstrake Gateway is Jesus Morales, he is known for his granite works. Jesus Morales made the Lapstrake sculpture and put it up in 2005 at Texas Tech University.
Additionally, the artist was commissioned for another sculpture on campus called “Square Spiral Arch.” which is a companion piece to Lapstrake. Installed a year after Lapstrake, near the biology building, the Square Spiral Arch features a radiant variety of textured lines.
“Portals of Discovery,” is an additional sculpture placed in 2008 by the same artist on campus. Also in that year, the artist received The 2008 National Medal of Arts, the nation’s highest honor for artistic excellence.
Morales has a sculpture called Lapstrake in New York City. He has over 2,000 pieces. His works are in numerous different locations such as China, Egypt, France, Italy, Japan, and Switzerland. He was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Texas. His sculptures were made in his studio in Texas.
Overview
In short, the Texas Tech art pieces are a sight to see for anyone interested in art. The scale of Lapstrake makes it distinguishable from a far distance. So, If you happen to see these pieces around, stop to admire them.
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Story by Campus Live Intern Lilly Dix