Celebration
Collection: Houston Airport System (HAS)
1974
Steel, copper, brass, miscellaneous found objects
Location:
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
2800 N Terminal Rd
Houston, TX 77032
About the Artwork:
Celebration (1974)
by Jesse Lott
Jesse Lott, born in 1943 in Louisiana and died in 2023, whose family moved to Houston’s Fifth Ward in the 1950s during a time when art museums, such as the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, limited Black visitors to specific days. In 1993, Lott co-founded Project Row Houses to serve African American artists. His artwork has been exhibited at Art League Houston, Oakland Museum of Art, Lawndale Art Center, and more. Here is one of his sculptures that measures one foot high, seven inches wide, and three inches deep. The sculpture is in the form of a human figure with long fingers and toes. Note how the metal, perhaps once used as wires, fixtures, or ties, are wrapped around each other. Perhaps the thicker wires hold the thinner wires together. The figure has its two arms raised, as well as a stream of wires connecting the head to its left arm. It is made of steel, copper, brass, and other found objects, or items that are not normally considered materials for art since they have non-art functions. Lott said: “Transforming trash into a classical figure is a political action… Rich people don't have time to go through the garbage - their job is to make the garbage.”
Celebración (1974)
por Jesse Lott
Jesse Lott, nacido en 1943 en Luisiana y fallecido en 2023, cuya familia se mudó al Fifth Ward de Houston en la década de 1950 en una época en la que los museos de arte restringían el acceso de los visitantes negros a días específicos. En 1993, Lott cofundó Project Row Houses para apoyar a los artistas afroamericanos. Sus obras artísticas han sido exhibidas en la Art League Houston, el Oakland Museum of Art, el Lawndale Art Center, y más. Aquí se presenta una de sus esculturas que mide un pie de alto, siete pulgadas de ancho, y tres pulgadas de profundidad. La escultura tiene la forma de una figura humana con dedos largos en las manos y los pies. Nota cómo los elementos metálicos, quizás utilizados en el pasado como alambres, accesorios, o ataduras, se entrelazan entre sí. Quizás los cables más gruesos mantienen unidos a los cables más delgados. La figura tiene ambos brazos alzados, así como un haz de alambres que conecta la cabeza con el brazo izquierdo. Está hecha de acero, cobre, latón, y otros objetos encontrados, es decir, elementos que habitualmente no se consideran materiales artísticos dado que cumplen funciones ajenas al arte. Lott dijo: “Transformar la basura en una figura clásica es un acto político... Los ricos no tienen tiempo para rebuscar en la basura - su labor consiste en generarla.”
Celebration (1974)
by Jesse Lott
Jesse Lott, born in 1943 in Louisiana and died in 2023, whose family moved to Houston’s Fifth Ward in the 1950s during a time when art museums, such as the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, limited Black visitors to specific days. In 1993, Lott co-founded Project Row Houses to serve African American artists. His artwork has been exhibited at Art League Houston, Oakland Museum of Art, Lawndale Art Center, and more. Here is one of his sculptures that measures one foot high, seven inches wide, and three inches deep. The sculpture is in the form of a human figure with long fingers and toes. Note how the metal, perhaps once used as wires, fixtures, or ties, are wrapped around each other. Perhaps the thicker wires hold the thinner wires together. The figure has its two arms raised, as well as a stream of wires connecting the head to its left arm. It is made of steel, copper, brass, and other found objects, or items that are not normally considered materials for art since they have non-art functions. Lott said: “Transforming trash into a classical figure is a political action… Rich people don't have time to go through the garbage - their job is to make the garbage.”
Celebración (1974)
por Jesse Lott
Jesse Lott, nacido en 1943 en Luisiana y fallecido en 2023, cuya familia se mudó al Fifth Ward de Houston en la década de 1950 en una época en la que los museos de arte restringían el acceso de los visitantes negros a días específicos. En 1993, Lott cofundó Project Row Houses para apoyar a los artistas afroamericanos. Sus obras artísticas han sido exhibidas en la Art League Houston, el Oakland Museum of Art, el Lawndale Art Center, y más. Aquí se presenta una de sus esculturas que mide un pie de alto, siete pulgadas de ancho, y tres pulgadas de profundidad. La escultura tiene la forma de una figura humana con dedos largos en las manos y los pies. Nota cómo los elementos metálicos, quizás utilizados en el pasado como alambres, accesorios, o ataduras, se entrelazan entre sí. Quizás los cables más gruesos mantienen unidos a los cables más delgados. La figura tiene ambos brazos alzados, así como un haz de alambres que conecta la cabeza con el brazo izquierdo. Está hecha de acero, cobre, latón, y otros objetos encontrados, es decir, elementos que habitualmente no se consideran materiales artísticos dado que cumplen funciones ajenas al arte. Lott dijo: “Transformar la basura en una figura clásica es un acto político... Los ricos no tienen tiempo para rebuscar en la basura - su labor consiste en generarla.”