Making Their Mark

By Christian Maitre ’22, March 17, 2022

Andrew Lackland ’21 receives recognition for art installation.

Andrew Lackland Standing next to their structures.

Andrew Lackland '21 created their art out of mud and burlap.

(Photos submitted)

If you braved Ithaca’s cold and ventured outside this past winter, you may have briefly seen sculptures made from mud and burlap placed around Home Dairy Alley, Ithaca Falls, and the Route 13 overpass. If you were unsure what their purpose was, Andrew Lackland ’21 is here to explain.

Their art, which takes shape in the form of human-like sculptures, were intentionally made of those materials to make a point. Lackland imagined the materials being representative of where they have been and what type of circumstances these people are existing within.

Lackland, who was an art major at IC, added that the current climate crisis played a role in the project’s inception.

“When I was initially making them one of the big things that I was thinking about is projecting into the future and pulling references from climate fiction novels, speculative fiction, things about resource infrastructure collapsing the future.”

Andrew Lackland ’21

“When I was initially making them one of the big things that I was thinking about is projecting into the future and pulling references from climate fiction novels, speculative fiction, things about resource infrastructure collapsing the future.”

Lackland added that they wanted these pieces to be versatile and interpretive, where viewers can speculate on their meaning with their own preconceived notions and “act as catalysts for people to consider different social contexts and like relationships between people.”

As an example, one of their pieces featured a child offering their mother food, which could be interpreted as an example of a positive relationship where limited resources are shared. Another one of their sculptures depicted people fighting over those same resources and food.

“Andrew was a great student to have in the studio. They always pushed their ideas through prolific artmaking. It was exciting to see these large figurative pieces take on a new life and context.”

Assistant professor of art Bill Hastings

Lackland honed their skills as an artist and their ability to think outside of the box thanks to their coursework and professors at IC. They praised many in the department for giving them a solid foundation as an artist.

“My professors taught me about how to be a good thinker, in relation to art. I definitely wouldn't have it any other way. I think that that was 100% like the right approach,” Lackland said.

And that feeling of respect and admiration went both ways.

“Andrew was a great student to have in the studio,” said assistant professor of art Bill Hastings. “They always pushed their ideas through prolific artmaking. It was exciting to see these large figurative pieces take on a new life and context.”