Adickes
Some of artist David Adickes’ legendary larger-than-life sculptures of heroic American figures line Interstate 10 near downtown Houston. The unofficial name of his cluster of busts of four U.S. presidents is “Mount Rush-Hour.”
His 67-feet-tall statue of Sam Houston looms over Interstate 45 in Huntsville, Texas.
But Adickes, 96, considers a new site in the East Aldine Management District to be the best home for one of his colossal works.
“I am honored to be here at this setting. It’s by far the best one I’ve ever seen for any of my sculptures,” he said on Thursday, June 29. at the dedication ceremony for his bust of President John F. Kennedy.
At John F. Kennedy Boulevard and Aldine Bender Road, the “JFK on JFK” project is surrounded by walkways and tall trees on the southern median of the intersection.
Ribbon-cutting
Millions of visitors every year will potentially see the public installation, because the boulevard is a main thoroughfare for Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Named for another late president, the airport handles 41 million passengers per year, making the boulevard a major Houston gateway.
The Management District, through its East Aldine Arts Council, acquired the statue to give the area more identity and to inspire, entertain and/or delight all who see it.
In realizing its potential as a hard-working, forward-looking community, East Aldine has become one of the metropolitan area’s newest hosts of public art, from murals to elaborate traffic box decorations to whimsical signage in English and Spanish. The JFK bust is a (very!) big hint about those changes.
