DOWNTOWN KINETIC SCULPTURE ARRIVES

AUG. 18, 2021 - The Abilene Cultural Affairs Council installed a signature kinetic sculpture at the Abilene Convention Center this morning that is based on one that once played an important role in the Summer Olympic Games.

The sculpture, titled “In Cloud Light IV,” was created by Anthony Howe based on the one he made that carried the Olympic flame in Rio de Janeiro during the 2016 Games. The stainless-steel sculpture has 26 arms that move with the wind. It stands 19.5 feet tall and weighs 830 pounds. A concrete pad for the sculpture was poured on the south side of the Abilene Convention Center in the grassy area near the Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden.

The sculpture cost $200,000 and was funded through three sources – a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts; the City of Abilene TIRZ funds (tax increment reinvestment zone); and from the Moss, Adamson, Spalding Charities, a private Abilene foundation. Special thanks to Rosenbaum Engineering, PLLC, and the City of Abilene Parks Division for their help with the project.

The goal of the sculpture is to enhance the Abilene Cultural District and it is located on the south lawn of the convention center. The sculpture is part of a larger project called “Walk This Way” that includes wayfinding maps, new pedestrian tunnel lighting under the N. 1st railroad tracks and a 3D mural by international artist Kurt Wenner titled “Flight of the Dragon.” These projects, along with the lighting of “In Cloud Light IV,” will be officially unveiled to the public during a community downtown celebration on Saturday, Oct. 23.

Lynn Barnett, Abilene Cultural Affairs Council executive director, said these projects should boost growth downtown.

“Public art and lighting provide a visual mechanism that reinforce social connectivity, serve as a tool for economic growth and sustainability, and enhance the unique character of our community,” she said.

Howe was born in Salt Lake City and attended The Taft School in Connecticut. He later enrolled in Cornell University and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. He later moved to New York City and turned from painting to creating kinetic, wind-driven sculptures. He now lives on Orcas Island, Washington. His unique sculptures are on display all over the world, from Saudi Arabia to Turkey and Russia. And now – Abilene, Texas!