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Austin, TX
November 5, 2019

Kempelen's Owls

"Kempelen's Owls" completed 2019. Artist: New American Public Art (NAPA). Commissioned by the City of Austin Economic Development Division, Art in Public Spaces

"Kempelen's Owls" by artist group New American Public Art (NAPA) is a permanent installation commissioned by the City of Austin Economic Development Division, Art in Public Places. The freshly installed pair of Texas Great Horned Owl sculptures are part of the Greenwater Redevelopment Plan, and are located in front of the new Proper Hotel in Austin's downtown 2nd Street District. Standing at 10 feet tall, each sculpture is composed of approximately 3,000 parts, with over 500 machined parts in the mechanical base that allow the bench to be manipulated, that in turn causes the owl's head to rotate 360 degrees. NAPA built the sculptures out of stainless steel and Corian (solid surface) during their residency at AutoDesk BUILD Space in Boston, where they had access to CNC machines, robotic arms, 3D printers and world-class technicians. "Kempelen's Owls" are illuminated from dusk until dawn, with large beaming eyes and a glowing dodecahedron perch. Hollingsworth Pack served as the structural engineer of record for the project. Christine Angelone served as the local liaison through the City of Austin's LaunchPad program before joining Hollingsworth Pack earlier this year.

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