Axis
Collection: Houston Health Department (HHD)
1978
Painted Steel
Location:
West End Multi-Service Center, Frank McGuire, Axis, 1978
170 Heights Blvd.
Houston , TX 77007
About the Artwork:
Axis (1978)
by Frank McGuire
Frank McGuire, born in 1938 in New Mexico, created this 20-foot-high and 35-foot-wide sculpture using COR-TEN (weathering) steel, a steel alloy that develops a rusted patina over time. While other sculptures allow the steel to rust into a brownish, reddish hue, this one has been painted with playful colors of bright blue, red, and yellow, perhaps borrowing colors from playgrounds and toys. However, the artwork seems anything but safe to play on, made up of various, interconnected shapes like cylinders, rectangular prisms of various lengths, trapezoids, and more, with no particular purpose. The title, “Axis,” may provide some guidance as to their meaning, since an axis is a central line for rotation, measurement, or symmetry. There are various lines in the sculpture, such as the red arc and the blue, angled plank. This artwork is considered Houston’s first commissioned sculpture since it won the city’s first public competition; a jury of art experts from museums and universities and residents from the Heights area, through a referendum, both selected this piece.
Eje (1978)
por Frank McGuire
Axis (1978)
by Frank McGuire
Frank McGuire, born in 1938 in New Mexico, created this 20-foot-high and 35-foot-wide sculpture using COR-TEN (weathering) steel, a steel alloy that develops a rusted patina over time. While other sculptures allow the steel to rust into a brownish, reddish hue, this one has been painted with playful colors of bright blue, red, and yellow, perhaps borrowing colors from playgrounds and toys. However, the artwork seems anything but safe to play on, made up of various, interconnected shapes like cylinders, rectangular prisms of various lengths, trapezoids, and more, with no particular purpose. The title, “Axis,” may provide some guidance as to their meaning, since an axis is a central line for rotation, measurement, or symmetry. There are various lines in the sculpture, such as the red arc and the blue, angled plank. This artwork is considered Houston’s first commissioned sculpture since it won the city’s first public competition; a jury of art experts from museums and universities and residents from the Heights area, through a referendum, both selected this piece.
Eje (1978)
por Frank McGuire
Frank McGuire, nacido en 1938 en Nuevo México, creó esta escultura de 6 metros de alto y 10,5 metros de ancho utilizando acero COR-TEN (acero resistente a la intemperie), una aleación de acero que desarrolla una pátina oxidada con el tiempo. Mientras que otras esculturas permiten que el acero se oxide adquiriendo un tono marrón rojizo, esta ha sido pintada con colores llamativos y alegres como el azul brillante, el rojo, y el amarillo, quizás inspirándose en los colores de los parques infantiles y los juguetes. Sin embargo, la obra de arte no parece en absoluto segura para jugar, ya que está compuesta por diversas formas interconectadas, como cilindros, prismas rectangulares de diferentes longitudes, trapecios, y otras figuras, sin ningún propósito aparente. El título, "Eje," podría ofrecer alguna pista sobre su significado, ya que un eje es una línea central para la rotación, la medición o la simetría. La escultura presenta diversas líneas, como el arco rojo y la tabla azul en ángulo. Esta obra de arte está considerada la primera escultura encargada por la ciudad de Houston, ya que ganó el primer concurso público convocado por la ciudad; un jurado de expertos en arte de museos y universidades, junto con los residentes del barrio de los Heights, a través de un referéndum, seleccionaron esta pieza.