Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Massive cranium

From time to time, I have blogged about the value of oblique aerial imagery in public safety. Lincoln contracts with Pictometry for such imagery, which is a valuable asset for police commanders and fire battalion chiefs.

Our most recent images were flown in the spring of 2013, just as Lincoln's Union Plaza was just coming into focus after several years of construction. One of the signature features of the Plaza is James Tyler's sculpture Groundwater Colossus, which the Lincoln Journal Star indelicately described as a "massive cranium." Here it is in the east-facing Pictometry view of the plaza last spring:


I drive by the sculpture on 21st Street between P & Q a few times weekly, as it is right around the corner for Lincoln Fire & Rescue headquarters. Having seen a few impromptu photo sessions in progress, I have concluded that a picture of one of the kids picking the gargantuan nostril is now among the iconic images of Lincoln. I consider this a good thing, as I appreciate interactive art.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Remind us again - how much did that brickhead thing cost, and who paid for it?

Tom Casady said...

10:32,

The linked news story says that it was $115,000 and was paid for privately with funding from the Winnett Foundation.

Mark said...

Guess art is on the finger of the behilder?