Eye (sculpture)

Coordinates: 38°32′59″N 90°24′54″W / 38.54972°N 90.41511°W / 38.54972; -90.41511
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Eye
Eye in Dallas in 2014
Eye is located in Missouri
Eye
Eye
Eye is located in the United States
Eye
Eye
ArtistTony Tasset
Completion date2007
MediumFiberglass, resin, steel, oil paint
MovementPop art
SubjectA human eye
LocationSt. Louis, Missouri
Coordinates38°32′59″N 90°24′54″W / 38.54972°N 90.41511°W / 38.54972; -90.41511
OwnerLaumeier Sculpture Park

Eye is the title of two sculptures by American artist Tony Tasset. They are large eyes with blue irises and made of fiberglass, resin, and steel detailed with oil paint.[1][2] The first was made in 2007 with a diameter of 6 feet (1.8 m) and is located in Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis, Missouri.[3] The second was made in 2010 at a diameter of 30 feet (9.1 m) and currently resides in Dallas, Texas on grounds owned by The Joule Hotel.[4]

History[edit]

The sculpture was created by Tony Tasset and is a replica of his own eye.[2][5] He says that there is no deep meaning behind the eye and that he wanted to create something that would be recognizable to many people.[6] The first instance of the piece became a permanent fixture of Laumeier Sculpture Park following a solo exhibition of Tasset's work at Laumeier in 2007.[1] The later, much larger version was commissioned by the Chicago Loop Alliance and displayed in Chicago's Jay Pritzker Pavilion in 2010, and appeared at Laumeier Sculpture Park in 2011. In 2013 it was moved to Dallas in 2013 after it was bought by The Joule Hotel for its art collection, taking about a week and a half to construct.[7][4][8][9] Since then, it has been used as a centerpiece for private events and is the site of the Dallas Art Fair's ending party, The Eye Ball.[4] Its weight is 18,000 pounds (8,200 kg).[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Tony Tasset (2007)". Laumeier Sculpture Park. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b Perez, Miguel (2021-03-18). "Why Is There A Giant Eyeball In Downtown Dallas? We Take a Look". Art&Seek. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  3. ^ "Artworks On View". Laumeier Sculpture Park. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "The Eye at The Joule Hotel in Downtown Dallas". The Joule at Dallas. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  5. ^ Brownlee, John (2013-12-02). "There Is A 30-Foot-Tall Eyeball In Downtown Dallas". Fast Company. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  6. ^ Simek, Peter (2013-11-08). "Why Tony Tasset Insists His Giant Downtown Eye Is Meaningless: Interview Magazine Talks About 'Dallas Eye'". D Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  7. ^ Gupta, Kavi. "Tony Tasset, Eye, 2010". Kavi Gupta Gallery. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  8. ^ William, Paul (2022-11-10). "The Giant Eyeball in Dallas: A History of the Big Blue Eye". Planet of the Paul. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  9. ^ Laughlin, Jamie (2013-08-09). "This Giant Eyeball Sculpture Arrives in Dallas Today, and Boy is it Freaky Lookin'". Dallas Observer. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  10. ^ "There's a Giant, Unblinking Eyeball in Downtown Dallas". Ripley's Believe It or Not!. 2022-11-04. Archived from the original on 2023-03-25. Retrieved 2023-09-08.

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