Eye-catching, breathtaking, and sometimes curious public art lives in nooks and neighborhoods all over our nature-loving city. We first featured these outdoor works of art during the pandemic while museums were closed, but there are so many amazing sights to see for FREE in Austin, we thought it was the perfect time to get outside and Experience Austin’s Outdoor Art.
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NORTH
Lotus
8401 Cameron Rd
At the Asian American Resource Center, you can find a symbolic sculpture for visitation and serene reflection. The Lotus, created by Sunyong Chung and Philippe Klinefelter, is made of seven granite petals encircling a colorful, scenic tile and ceramic ground mural. Feel free to bring your lunch to enjoy under the shade at one of their picnic tables near the playground. If you plan to visit the Asian American Resource Center, the hours are Monday – Friday 10 am – 6 pm, and Saturday 10 am – 4 pm.
Geode
1311 Philomena St.
Best seen after nightfall, Geode, by Hunter Cross, sits mid-lawn at the Mueller Northwest Greenway. Designed with LEDs, the concrete piece appears mysteriously “cracked open”. Take a peak inside to discover the green, mesmerizing crystals on your nightly trek through the neighborhood!
Ocho
2601 Philomena Street
The newest work to the list, Ocho, by Dixie Friend Gay, is inspired by horror movies of the 1950s and 1960s. Located in Jessie Andrews Park, Ocho was manufactured locally and is part menacing creature, part Jules Verne Creation. He has LED lights that make him look like an underwater creature, and you can check him out hovering over the restrooms at Jessie Andrews Park.
Merlin the Magical Sage
3001 Harris Park Ave
Take a lap around Eastwood Park, but keep your eyes peeled for the face appearing amongst the trees in the surrounding wooded area. Merlin the Magical Sage, carved by David Kestenbaum, sits on the perimeter, his face hardened and keeping a watchful eye on the park’s patrons as they visit and enjoy the playground nearby. Step off the beaten path, and you will wander across a bridge onto a hidden trail with more magic hiding in the trees!
Grotto Wall
3701 Grooms St.
Tucked away in the Hyde Park neighborhood stands Grotto Wall at Sparky Pocket Park. These enchanted stone walls are bursting with small surprises in every groove. Many have enjoyed the wall’s mystery and beauty since its creation in 2008 by Berthold Haas. Pay close attention not only to what you see on the surface but to what you may find within the walls. You might discover treasures, trinkets, and secret messages from those who visited before you!
Monochrome for Austin
2400 Speedway
The University of Texas at Austin boasts enriching, outdoor art sprinkled about its forty acres. On the northwest corner of 24th Street and Speedway, you’ll find a bundle of chrome canoes hoisted high above your head. Monochrome for Austin, by Nancy Rubins, is a piece of the Landmarks collection, a UT program presenting free and accessible art to encourage the consumption of creative work. Browse the Landmarks collection here.
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EAST
Split Diopter
1901 E 51st St
A spectrum of colors shooting through stacked ceramic blocks creates a rainbow-like visual — one that is hard to miss and even harder to look away from. The Split Diopter, by Eric Eley, enchants the Austin Film Society’s Studios and pays homage to the history of film. This piece is a nighttime spectacle not to be missed!
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SOUTH
Rhytons
202 South Lamar
Guarding the entrance of the ZACH Theatre sits a double-horned, bronzed, and blued-knotted sculpture. Resembling your favorite movie theatre pretzel, Rhytons, by Cliff Garten, was inspired by an ancient drinking vessel. If there is a show taking place, listen carefully at the knot’s open end for sounds related to the ongoing production.
Your Essential Magnificence
108 W Live Oak St
If you frequent South Congress Avenue, chances are you’ve laid eyes on this James Edward Talbot creation, replicating the weirdness Austin proudly boasts. The iconic sculpture is made of cement and colorful patterns of tile and glass. With arms spread wide, the unique creature welcomes folks to the traditional and quirky South Austin area.
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WEST
The Reading Chair
2401 Columbus Dr
“the silence of the flowers
delightfully airy
and wondrous”
These words are from a Larry Eigner poem read on the backrest of the mosaic masterpiece, The Reading Chair. Artists Margaret Heffernan, Michael Heffernan, Faith Schexnayder, and Sarah Twaddle pieced together the concrete sitting area with colorful tile flowers for those looking to dive into the world of fantasy and beyond!
Prayer Wheel
2200 Barton Springs Rd.
Brought to life by the beat of the hand drums, the Azie Morton Rd Barton Springs Pool entrance is an inviting summer scene. At the fore is the Prayer Wheel, sculpted by Hawkeye Glenn, catching your eye with its porcelain colors of water, sky, and earth. Many visitors place their hands on the enamel surface for a moment of reflection or wishing before they enter the springs.
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DOWNTOWN
Malin’s Fountain | Troll Sculpture in Pease Park by Danish artist, Thomas Dambo
1100 Kingsbury St
One of Austin’s newest outdoor art installations is this lovable troll by artist Thomas Dambo entitled Malin’s Fountain. More than 80 percent of Malin’s Fountain is made from recycled, repurposed, or found materials. Malin’s Fountain symbolizes the sharing of resources with the animals and wildlife that live here with us. Get more info here.
Kemeplen’s Owls
600 2nd Street
Wise eyes keep watch over the 2nd St. Streetscape in the heart of downtown Austin day and night. Kempelen’s Owls, a project from the New American Public Art Program, is a duo of metal sculptures perched at the base of Butterfly Bridge offering an interactive experience for those carrying a sense of burning curiosity.
Crullers
W Willie Nelson Blvd
Peculiar colorless creatures grace the sidewalks of the Seaholm EcoDistrict, backed by the green and orange patterned power plant fence. Crullers, by Sharon Engelstein, are three blob-like sculptures meant to incite individual interpretations of the family unit. Big Mama and Little Mama are bundled together with love, while the adventurous Tall Solo has wandered away (but only just around the corner from the rest). See if you can find all three!
Golden Afternoon
211 Walter Seaholm Dr
Texas wildflowers climb the walls of the Seaholm parking garage, brightening up your Trader Joe’s shopping trip. Hues of electric blue and indigo pulse behind the pores of the petals and through their connecting vines. Golden Afternoon, by Urban Matter Inc., nods to the magical experiences of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Who knew a trip to the grocery store could be so wondrous?
Open Room
111 Sandra Muraida Way
Come on over and take a load off at this social, and very comfortably family-friendly, structure at Sand Beach Park. Open Room Austin, by Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt, features a white, 24-foot-long picnic table, red benches, and four lampposts encircling and illuminating the communal space. Hungry chirps from the birds above drown out the Cesar Chavez traffic, providing an incredibly peaceful lunch or dinnertime setting!
More places to see outdoor art and sculpture in Austin:
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The experience does not end here! Austin’s treasured art scene awaits your eager arrival. Visit https://www.publicartarchive.org to find more remarkable works in your area.
