Episode 19: The Art of Time

Interdisciplinary artist Alicia Eggert creates captivating work, which wrestles with fundamental existential questions in witty and awe-inspiring ways. From monumental inflatables, flashing neon signs, cut flowers, and more, her dynamic works have been exhibited globally. Often taking the form of text, she transforms words and phrases collected in her journals into profound, arresting installations that illuminate her interplay with time and language.

She credits her preoccupation with time and existence to her upbringing as a child of evangelical Pentecostal missionaries. At a young age her family moved to South Africa to establish a ministry and she spent much of her time listening to her father’s sermons, contemplating life and performance, which left an indelible impact on her work. One of the beautiful things about her work is its simplicity and legibility which render them easily comprehensible. As a sculpture professor at the University of North Texas, she teaches a course about public art that culminates in students executing their work formally. Her dedication to her craft and students is inspiring and a reminder to live in the present, but with an eye to the future.