Wind-O is a Soulful Selfie Hot Spot
Public art and the selfie beautifully collide in the Wind-O sculpture located in Hughes Landing overlooking Lake Woodlands on one side and Restaurant Row on the other.
This 8-foot tall and hunky yellow steel aperture was created in 2017 by Miami-based artists Marcelo Ertorteguy and Sara Valente of Stereotank Design Studio. Resembling the shape of a Polaroid snapshot, this unique public artwork has become one of our community’s favorite selfie hot spots.
Generously gifted to the community by residents Vicki and Michael Richmond in 2018, this art bench is part of The Woodlands Arts Council’s impressive 20-piece art bench initiative.
Yesterday, as I sat down on the wide base of Wind-O, I experienced the powerful meta photo frame selfie siren’s call. Furtively, I looked around to make sure no one was watching, quickly checked my teeth in a compact mirror, tilted my head into what I hoped would be a flattering pose and then took a snapshot of myself with my phone’s camera.
There is a psychological bravery in taking and posting a selfie and in commissioning and creating public art. In both, you are taking a risk—hoping for attention and/or love, but also opening up yourself to being rejected and/or shamed. Although, I didn’t post this selfie to my social media (I am Gen-X, not Millennial!), I will admit I look at this image a lot on my phone’s camera roll.
Visiting Wind-O, and taking a self-conscious selfie in it, taught me that public art and selfies are important cultural declarations of existence, and, the ideas of “I am here” and letting go of one’s self-consciousness feels more important now than ever.
Have you ever visited Wind-O? How did it make you feel? What thoughts bubbled up when you engaged with the piece? Did you take a selfie?
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