Giant Eyeball
Tourist attraction · Downtown ·
Giant 30-ft fiberglass eyeball sculpture, a quirky photo stop
Giant 30-ft fiberglass eyeball sculpture, a quirky photo stop
"If you take a stroll along Main Street in Downtown Dallas and get the sneaking suspicion that you’re being watched — you’re not wrong. Since the neighboring Joule Hotel installed the art piece in the summer of 2013, Dallas’ “Giant Eyeball” has been watching over its downtown residents and visitors while the city continues to transform around it. This 30-foot-tall sculpture created by multimedia artist Tony Tasset is a social media post waiting to happen. However, unlike some works of art, the eye is not symbolic of anything. Tasset insists the sculpture is simply “cool,” but ultimately meaningless. Kimbell Art Museum – The Kimbell Art Museum is Fort Worth’s equivalent of the DMA. And like the DMA, it’s impressive and the entrance is always free unless you plan to see special exhibits, which will run you about $15. Located off West Seventh Street, the Kimbell has works from some of history’s most-acclaimed artists, such as Monet and Picasso. It is even home to what is believed to be Michelangelo’s first known painting. Comprised of two buildings, the Kimbell is flooded with light and is considered a beautiful example for modern architecture. If you’d like to explore the art or architecture in more depth, the Kimbell does provide guided tours by appointment." - MATADOR_NETWORK
"Outside of the swanky Joule Hotel in downtown Dallas, you can’t help but notice a three-story gleaming orb resting in their lush garden off Main Street: an enormous, hyper-realistic eyeball, streaky red veins and all. The piece is called simply Eye, and was created by artist Tony Tasset in 2007 as part of a temporary display in Chicago. It stands (rolls?) 30 feet tall, and is modeled after Tasset’s own baby blues. Made of fiberglass, it was fabricated by a company best known for creating giant, kitschy roadside attractions—not unlike the kind you’d see here, here and here. The big eyeball spent a few years in storage, made a brief appearance in St. Louis, and was finally brought to Texas in 2013. It was purchased by the hotel as part of their expansive art collection, and to anchor their downtown location and its sculpture garden. Tasset denies any deep symbolism behind the work, stating in an interview with the website Co. Design that he “just wanted to make something awesome.” As startled passersby generally agree, he succeeded. Update as of October 2020: The sculpture is currently closed indefinitely." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
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