Sculpture: ferrous Concrete, neon; Base: concrete, metal
Located: Corner of Weber & Staples Streets Corpus Christi Texas Description: A man and a woman inspecting a car for sale. Man is kicking tire to check air pressure while the woman peers inside to look at the interior of the car. The car is of a 1953 Corvette. Purpose: Commissioned by developer Leon Loeb, to decorate Hamlin Shopping Center Personal Connection
I have lived next to Hamlin Shopping Center for most of my childhood. Anytime we would drive by, my sister and I being kids, would point out that weird, un- moving car to our mother. We found it funny that the two people were frozen standing over a car. It is one my fondest memories, and as I have asked around to both family members and friends, they often have similar sentiments. Now that I am older, I find even more awe when looking at this sculpture as I ride the bus home. It is as though Danny O'Dowdy froze a moment in time, allowing later generations to access part of history in a way that brings that history out of the past and into the present. |
Corpus Christi Vertical Files
I found an article in the vertical files that told me the type of car portrayed, 1953 Corvette, for those like me who barely know anything about car makes and models. This article also showed me who commissioned the work and that it was made in order to add to Hamlin Shopping Center. Community Connection
The article mentioned above also referred to a boy ad his mother looking at the statue, admiring it. This is only one example of how this sculpture has impacted those in Corpus. Many tourists have come to pose by those fashioned in stone, all the while making a personal memory of both the statue of Corpus. Sculptures are used make an old memory part of the new memories made in the present. |
"For Sale"
By Danny O'Dowdy
Photo by Rachel Ford