Absolute Victory
Collection: Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD)
2011
Smalti glass tile, ceramic tile, and cast bronze
Location:
Veterans Memorial Park, Rosalinda R. Toro, Absolute Victory, 2011
1896 Tidwell Rd.
Houston, TX 77093
About the Artwork:
Absolute Victory (2011)
by Rosalinda R. Toro
Colombian-born artist Rosalinda Toro created this series of installations, made of mosaics and a bronze medallion, within a memorial complex in Veteran’s Memorial Park that commemorates World War II veterans. First, the pathway to the plaza is lined with two ceramic tile reproductions of the World War II Victory Medal Ribbon. The pathway leads to a sitting area full of mosaics, artwork made of small pieces of colored materials set into patterns. Set in a circle, 12 circular mosaics featuring maps of battles where Allied Forces were victorious, such as: Battle of the Bulge in Belgium; Battle of Luzon in the Philippines; D-Day in France; and more. The mosaics surround a pentagon, symbolizing the newly built headquarters for the then Department of War, which is then centered by a bronze medallion. The medallion is replica of the World War II Victory Medal which shows Lady Liberty with a broken sword in her hands, signifying the end of the war. Finally, a free-standing, eight-foot-tall and 12-foot-wide concrete wall stands at the end of the area. The wall has a tile mosaic featuring events from WWII, including: the Normandy beach landing during D-Day; the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; the raising of the US flag on Iwo Jima; and more. Unfortunately, time has caused for some of the mosaics to either be severely damaged or destroyed.
Victoria Absoluta (2011)
por Rosalinda R. Toro
Absolute Victory (2011)
by Rosalinda R. Toro
Colombian-born artist Rosalinda Toro created this series of installations, made of mosaics and a bronze medallion, within a memorial complex in Veteran’s Memorial Park that commemorates World War II veterans. First, the pathway to the plaza is lined with two ceramic tile reproductions of the World War II Victory Medal Ribbon. The pathway leads to a sitting area full of mosaics, artwork made of small pieces of colored materials set into patterns. Set in a circle, 12 circular mosaics featuring maps of battles where Allied Forces were victorious, such as: Battle of the Bulge in Belgium; Battle of Luzon in the Philippines; D-Day in France; and more. The mosaics surround a pentagon, symbolizing the newly built headquarters for the then Department of War, which is then centered by a bronze medallion. The medallion is replica of the World War II Victory Medal which shows Lady Liberty with a broken sword in her hands, signifying the end of the war. Finally, a free-standing, eight-foot-tall and 12-foot-wide concrete wall stands at the end of the area. The wall has a tile mosaic featuring events from WWII, including: the Normandy beach landing during D-Day; the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; the raising of the US flag on Iwo Jima; and more. Unfortunately, time has caused for some of the mosaics to either be severely damaged or destroyed.
Victoria Absoluta (2011)
por Rosalinda R. Toro
La artista colombiana Rosalinda Toro creó esta serie de instalaciones, compuestas por mosaicos y un medallón de bronce, dentro de un complejo conmemorativo en el Parque Conmemorativo de Veteranos que conmemora a los veteranos de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. El camino a la plaza está bordeado por dos reproducciones en azulejos de cerámica de la Cinta de la Medalla de la Victoria de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. El camino conduce a una zona de estar llena de mosaicos, obras de arte hechas con pequeños trozos de materiales de colores dispuestos en patrones. Doce mosaicos circulares presentan mapas de batallas donde las Fuerzas Aliadas ganaron, como la Batalla de las Ardenas en Bélgica, la Batalla de Luzón en Filipinas, el Día D en Francia, y muchas más. Los mosaicos rodean un pentágono, que simboliza la recién construida sede del entonces Departamento de Guerra, y que está centrada en un medallón de bronce. Este medallón es una réplica de la Medalla de la Victoria de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, que muestra a la Dama de la Libertad con una espada rota en las manos, lo que significa el fin de la guerra. Finalmente, un muro de hormigón independiente de 2,4 metros de alto y 3,6 metros de ancho se alza al final del área. El muro tiene un mosaico de azulejos que representa eventos de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, incluyendo: el desembarco en la playa de Normandía durante el Día D; el ataque japonés a Pearl Harbor; el izamiento de la bandera estadounidense en Iwo Jima; y más. Desafortunadamente, el tiempo ha provocado que algunos mosaicos sufran graves daños o sean destruidos.