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All the United States Texas Dallas 'Eye' Sculpture

'Eye' Sculpture

This downtown Dallas art installation is always on the lookout.

Dallas, Texas

Added By
Kelly Catalfamo
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CAPTION
30-foot-tall ‘Eye’ sculpture in Dallas, Texas.   Carol M. Highsmith (Library of Congress/LC-DIG-highsm-28401)
The piece was created in 2007 for a temporary exhibit in Chicago.   Michael Coté
It was purchased by the Joule Hotel and moved to Texas in 2013.   Jimmy Baikovicius
‘Eye’ in the snow.   Luis Tamayo
The sculpture sits in a small park along the corner of Main Street and Stone Place.   Map Data
The Eye as seen from the Joule Hotel   MizzusK / Atlas Obscura User
  ladytecate / Atlas Obscura User
  ladytecate / Atlas Obscura User
  ladytecate / Atlas Obscura User
I see you Dallas   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
I got my eye on you Dallas!   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Katystevens / Atlas Obscura User
  chasepopt / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Mark Loftin / Atlas Obscura User
  Scott Terrell / Atlas Obscura User
  breaingram / Atlas Obscura User
  bfiles / Atlas Obscura User
THE ALL SEEING EYE   notoriousFIG / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  agarcia083 / Atlas Obscura User
Eye, at night   questermark / Atlas Obscura User
The “side” of Eye, from behind   questermark / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Busch / Atlas Obscura User
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About

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.

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Art Sculptures Installations Anatomy Roadside Attractions

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Added By

K Cady

Edited By

michaelnhartman, notoriousFIG, Collector of Experiences, Mark Loftin...

  • michaelnhartman
  • notoriousFIG
  • Collector of Experiences
  • Mark Loftin
  • Michael Busch
  • breaingram
  • questermark
  • agarcia083
  • chasepopt
  • Scott Terrell
  • sunflowergirl
  • Jason Michael Walker
  • MizzusK
  • Katystevens
  • ladytecate
  • Ditch
  • bfiles

Published

June 5, 2017

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Sources
  • https://www.fastcodesign.com/3022295/there-is-a-30-foot-tall-eyeball-in-downtown-dallas
  • http://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/this-giant-eyeball-sculpture-arrives-in-dallas-today-and-boy-is-it-freaky-lookin-7088546
  • https://www.dmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2013/11/why-tony-tasset-insists-his-giant-downtown-eye-is-meaningless-interview-magazine-talks-about-dallas-eye/
'Eye' Sculpture
1601 Main Street
Dallas, Texas
United States
32.781098, -96.798246
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