Virtuoso
ArtistDavid Adickes
Year1983
TypeSculpture
MediumSteel and concrete
Dimensions11 m (36 ft)
Weight21 tons
LocationHouston, Texas, United States
Coordinates29°45′46″N 95°21′54″W / 29.7628253°N 95.365047°W / 29.7628253; -95.365047

Virtuoso is a 36-foot-tall, 21-ton outdoor concrete sculptural group by David Adickes. It was installed in 1983 on the outskirts of the Theater District in downtown Houston next to the Lyric Centre building.[1] It was commissioned as a work that "paid homage to music, dance and performing arts".[2]

Description

Viewed from the intersection of Prairie and Smith Streets, the sculpture is a gigantic cello being played by a virtuoso who is invisible except for his head and hands. Behind the sculpture adjacent to the Lyric Centre, a life-sized trio of abstract musicians including a violinist, bass, and flute player accompany the giant cellist.[2] The work is equipped with an integrated sound system that plays classical music for passing pedestrians.[1]

History

Virtuoso, the artist's favorite work, was his first large-scale sculpture to garner major public exposure.[3] It initially was controversial with critics and many residents panning the sculpture; however, with time, it has been embraced as an iconic landmark.[2]

In 2005, the president of the Lyric Centre's property management group ordered the giant cellist's mustache to be painted black without consulting the artist. After Adickes and others in the arts community said it overstepped its bounds in altering the artwork, the property management company provided a bucket truck and paint so that the artist could repaint the mustache white.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Little, Carol Morris (1996). A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in Texas. University of Texas Press. p. 247. ISBN 9780292760363. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  2. 1 2 3 "Spy the 36-foot concrete cellist Virtuoso in Downtown". 365 Things to Do in Houston. April 7, 2014. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  3. ↑ "A Live Chat with Houston Artist David Adickes". Visit Houston. January 22, 2015. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  4. ↑ "Popular downtown Houston statue making a move". Houston Chronicle. October 13, 2017. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
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