# Public art that's actually good **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2026, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050 "2026-06-20T13:52:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/41 "2026-06-22T01:54:54Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > We have a couple small alebrijes we’ve purchased on vacations A word to the wise: if you see a [alebrije](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alebrije) you like, don’t think about coming back and getting it later, buy it! They’re all one of a kind and you’ll never find the same one again. I passed up on a [really cool-looking grasshopper](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczOyBdA-zzXK7gtbJastWcjHwbzwM79JcfbjkophJeGMAKrAKV-mpkR2YEJZmkGyrZuRdMIC3ifyHedgztnIkCEp2fDTUKwyI4Lmr1M_QWAtL3lJSc42AlaUesCb9LeBVnXFesYylRd96TI94CpKQcCzyg=w1095-h795-s-no?authuser=0) because I thought it was too expensive. I changed my mind and went back to the shop the next day and it was gone. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/42 "2026-06-22T02:05:46Z")
They are so cool! We buy a couple great art pieces each time we visit (not always alebrije). ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/43 "2026-06-22T02:41:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It looks like there are a few standard models of bears that someone’s distributing, and then everyone chooses how to paint their own bear? Someone used to do that in Asiantown here with the zodiac animal every year, but I haven’t seen any lately. Some information here > **[United Buddy Bears](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Buddy_Bears)** > > Buddy Bears are painted, life-size fiberglass bear sculptures developed by German businesspeople Klaus and Eva Herlitz, in cooperation with sculptor Roman Strobl. They have become a landmark of Berlin and are considered unofficial ambassadors of Germany. The outstretched arms of the standing Buddy Bear symbolise friendliness and optimism. The first bears were displayed at an artistic event in Berlin in 2001. > The first activities were presented as the Buddy Bear Berlin Show. In 2001, artists pai... ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/44 "2026-06-22T03:27:40Z")
**Dignity of Earth and Sky** is a large sculpture of an Native American woman at a roadside rest area near Chamberlain, South Dakota, on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River River. It’s breathtaking to see in person. > **[Dignity of Earth and Sky](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dignity_of_Earth_and_Sky)** > > Dignity of Earth and Sky (shortened to Dignity for brevity) is a sculpture on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River near Chamberlain, South Dakota. The 50-foot (15 m) high stainless steel statue by South Dakota artist laureate Dale Claude Lamphere depicts an Indigenous woman in Plains-style dress receiving a star quilt. According to Lamphere, the sculpture honors the culture of the Lakota and Dakota peoples who are indigenous to South Dakota. Assisting Lamphere were sculptors Tom Trople, J No... ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/45 "2026-06-22T15:35:22Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I always enjoyed the various [cow parades](https://cowparade.com/). I’ve seen a bunch of the ones from Morro Bay/San Luis Obispo event. My favorite is the [Cow/Bear on a paddle board](https://www.celebratelososos.org/post/cow-bear-fundraiser) in Baywood Park. Elephants have gotten into the public art parade act as well. There’s the [Elephant Parade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_Parade) and [The Great Elephant Migration](https://thegreatelephantmigration.org/). I missed out on the migration on west coast but I have seen the Elephant Parade statues scattered around Dana Point. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/46 "2026-06-22T16:26:33Z")
Back in the 70s there was parking garage in downtown St. Louis that had a mural of Charles Lindbergh on the side. It was pixelated so that it just looked like a bunch of gray blocks up close, but resolved into a picture the further away you were. When I went searching to try to find a photo, I stumbled across this web page with a whole history of the project. > **[Lindy Squared — On The Wall Productions](https://www.onthewallmurals.com/lindy-squared)** ---
**Author:** ![Topologist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/topologist/32/3208_2.png) [@Topologist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Topologist)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/47 "2026-06-22T17:03:07Z")
_[Life Underground](https://www.mta.info/agency/arts-design/collection/life-underground)_, a series of small whimsical (but also pointed) sculptures in a NY City subway station. I run across them every once in a while (I don’t get into the city as often as I ought) and enjoy them every time. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/48 "2026-06-22T17:19:33Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I’ve seen a bunch of the ones from Morro Bay/San Luis Obispo event. My favorite is the [Cow/Bear on a paddle board](https://www.celebratelososos.org/post/cow-bear-fundraiser) in Baywood Park. One section of that webpage is headed “Why keep her?”. It isn’t obvious? ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/49 "2026-06-22T18:14:22Z")
One of the original cows, named Heidi, is still visible in Zurich: > **[File:Heidi cow zurich.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heidi_cow_zurich.jpg)** ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/50 "2026-06-22T18:20:12Z")
I think I saw Heidi in a movie once. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/51 "2026-06-22T18:33:26Z")
Another one in Cleveland that I like is the Rock Box installation. It’s 7 different speakers located on E. 9th street between the baseball stadium and the Rock Hall. Every hour they play music by Rock Hall inductees. I think it’s a neat way to showcase the “rock 'n roll”-ness of the city. > **[Rock Boxes — MARK REIGELMAN.](https://www.markreigelman.com/rockboxes)** > > Rock Boxes  remind Clevelanders that the city was built on Rock & Roll. The colorful welded aluminum boxes are distributed in downtown Cleveland. Here’s an example, in front of some other existing public art. [![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56cbba8e746fb9f440c99f34/1510765958048-04LORCFS4L37D6PSN6DG/171022MRRockBox-10-2.jpg?format=1500w) ](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56cbba8e746fb9f440c99f34/1510765958048-04LORCFS4L37D6PSN6DG/171022MRRockBox-10-2.jpg?format=1500w) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/52 "2026-06-22T18:42:28Z")
Hm, it hadn’t even occurred to me to include music here, but yeah, that works. ---
**Author:** ![its\_the\_daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bb73d2/32.png) [@its\_the\_daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/its_the_daddy)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/53 "2026-06-22T18:47:16Z")
We went in 2024. It’s wonderful! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/54 "2026-06-22T18:47:25Z")
Well, it’s art. An artist had to come up with it and design the speakers. The “sculptures” just happen to include a music feature. Like if those bears roared or something 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/55 "2026-06-22T19:21:41Z")
I already mentioned Sacramento’s many murals, but Sacramento’s airport has some cool public art, too. The most prominent is “Leap”, a giant red rabbit that appears to be leaping over the escalators. But my favorite is “The Baggage Handlers”, appropriately located in baggage claim in Terminal B. If you stand close to it it just looks like a bunch of wooden blocks of different sizes stuck to the wall. But from a distance they all resolve into six faces. Very cool technique on the part of the artist. The artist used actual ramp workers at SMF as models, too. > **[Public Art at Sacramento International Airport (SMF)](https://www.cindyderosier.com/2025/06/public-art-at-sacramento-international.html)** > > I really appreciate all the beautiful and interesting public art at Sacramento International Airport. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/56 "2026-06-22T21:23:43Z")
I’ve always liked Walker Hancock’s _Angel of the Resurrection_ and how it fits into the massively vertical space of 30th Street Statio in Philadelphia: [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/30thStreetStation-AngelOfTheResurrection.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/30thStreetStation-AngelOfTheResurrection.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/57 "2026-06-23T00:31:45Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > Sacramento’s airport has some cool public art, too Denver’s airport has Blucifer (which killed Its sculptor - Coloradans are weirdly proud of it). [![](https://i.ibb.co/KjHxDG9L/IMG-2231.jpg) ](https://i.ibb.co/KjHxDG9L/IMG-2231.jpg) > [@](#): > > Tragically, in 2006, a heavy portion of the statue fell on Jiménez and severed his artery. He died an untimely death, and the work of art was left unfinished. Eventually, his sons finished it for him, and _Blue Mustang_ was installed at the Denver International Airport in 2008. > **[Death by Art: The Story Behind Luis Jiménez’ Iconic Blue Mustang](https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/death-art-untimely-death-luis-jimenez/)** > > Luis Jiménez, the artist behind Denver’s infamous Blue Mustang met a tragic, untimely death while completing this captivating sculpture. And Orlando, Florida’s airport has this eerie depiction of a weary traveler. [![](https://i.ibb.co/5xSfJBGt/IMG-2232.jpg) ](https://i.ibb.co/5xSfJBGt/IMG-2232.jpg) as far as I know, this creation wasn’t deadly. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/58 "2026-06-23T00:35:50Z")
That’s a statue? Not an actual person? Is it as realistic in person? I’d think there’d be a lot of folks panicking when they notice he’s not breathing. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/59 "2026-06-23T00:40:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’d think there’d be a lot of folks panicking when they notice he’s not breathing. He looks _incredibly_ life-like, but his location makes it pretty apparent that he’s not real. [![](https://i.ibb.co/7tsjvjFJ/IMG-2235.jpg) ](https://i.ibb.co/7tsjvjFJ/IMG-2235.jpg) He’s also been there since the 1980s, so anybody watching him has seen him sleeping for quite a while. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050/60 "2026-06-23T01:12:24Z")
Oh, OK, the glass case isn’t obvious in the first picture. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-art-thats-actually-good/1031050.md?page=4)