A strange and enticing project has the Crossroads puzzled. What is this massive statue doing in Victoria? What is it, where did it come from, and why?

TOO LARGE TO MISS

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If you've been through downtown quite recently you may have noticed a large work of art is being constructed on about half a block in downtown Victoria.

THE MAGNIFICENT ARTIST

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The massive art piece is from a Texas native artist Mel Chin. With the collaborative help from students at the University of North Carolina Asheville, Mel Chin constructed this large work of art, which he named "Wake."

WHAT IS IT?

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 Wake is a large-scale piece that displays the shell of a shipwreck tangled with the skeletal remains of a marine mammal. This structure is connected to a carved 21-foot tall animatronic female sculpture.

This large sale piece has been displayed most notoriously in the NewYork City's Time Square.

WHAT MAKES THIS PIECE UNIQUE

Other than being massive in size, Wake is so more than its size. "Wake relates to both the city’s triumphs and its problematic past. While New York City has become a center of trade, commerce, finance, and entertainment, it also has a complex history that includes the shipping of guns and slaves that boosted the city’s blossoming economy."

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Wake was originally an extremely interactive piece. Coupled with virtual reality goggles, Wake is an art that displays a shipwreck and a city underwater. Mel Chin explains the process of bringing his art to life, "Nautical vessels in the air using mixed reality to provide a portal to something I can't even imagine."

WHY VICTORIA?

Mel Chin had a long-standing relationship with the 5 Points Museum. Also, being a Teas native he has a close bond with the impact of art in this state.

CHECK IT OUT

You can check this piece out downtown near the Public Library on the corner of Liberty and Power. Although the piece will not have virtual reality paired with it, the crew is working hard to get the female's head to move.

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