Alamo (sculpture)
Encyclopedia
Alamo, also known as the Astor Place Cube, or simply The Cube, is an outdoor sculpture
by Bernard (Tony) Rosenthal
, located on Astor Place, on the island of Manhattan
in New York City
. It takes the form of a black cube
, 8 feet (2.4 m) long on each side, mounted on a corner. The cube is made of Cor-Ten steel and weighs about 1800 pounds (816.5 kg). The faces of the cube are not flat but have various indentations, protrusions, and ledges. It is not widely known as Alamo, the name given on a small plaque on one corner of the base, which was selected by the artist's wife because its scale and mass reminded her of the Alamo Mission
. Generally it is simply called The Astor Place Cube or The Cube.
Installed in 1967 as part of the "Sculpture and the Environment" organized by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
, the Cube was one of 25 temporary art installations that were intended to remain for a six-month period, however local residents successfully petitioned the city to keep the Alamo. It has since become a popular meeting place in the East Village
. It stands in the middle of an intersection, across the street from both entrances to the Astor Place station
of the New York Subway and the Cooper Union
.
The Cube's distinguishing feature is that it can be spun on its vertical axis. One person can usually push it slowly with some exertion, and two or more people without trouble. Many people who move to New York consider turning the Cube to be a ritual signaling that they have "arrived" in the city. Sitting or sleeping in the shade of the Cube is also popular.
On March 10, 2005, the Parks Department
removed the Cube for maintenance. The original artist and crew replaced a missing bolt, and made a few other minor repairs. A makeshift replica of pvc tubes named the Jello Cube in honor of Peter Cooper
was placed in its stead. As of November 2005, the Cube returned with a fresh coat of black paint, still able to spin.
The identical Rosenthal Cube (officially titled Endover) stands on the campus of the University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor, Michigan
between the Michigan Union
and the LSA Building. Rosenthal
earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Michigan
. The cube was donated by the class of 1965 and was installed in 1968. The Rosenthal cube also rotates but its pivot is sunken into the ground, as opposed to the pivot of the Alamo, which is on a separate platform.
. The cube stayed up for about 24 hours before NYC maintenance removed the painted cardboard panels from the sculpture.
In March 2006, the Graffiti Research Lab
distributed LED throwies to a group of people to throw onto and decorate the Cube.
In April 2006, a tub of chalk was left by the Cube and passersby began to draw on it. Seven individuals were later arrested for vandalism. The chalk was washed off by NYC maintenance the following morning.
In October 2011, the visual artist Olek (Agata Oleksiak) made a crochet covering with her signature camouflage pattern over the cube.
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
by Bernard (Tony) Rosenthal
Bernard Rosenthal
Bernard J. Rosenthal , also known as Tony Rosenthal, was an American abstract sculptor. He was the creator of the outdoor cube, Alamo that: “established him as a master of monumental public sculpture, and something of a standard bearer of the contemporary structurist esthetic.” He stated: ...
, located on Astor Place, on the island of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It takes the form of a black cube
Cube
In geometry, a cube is a three-dimensional solid object bounded by six square faces, facets or sides, with three meeting at each vertex. The cube can also be called a regular hexahedron and is one of the five Platonic solids. It is a special kind of square prism, of rectangular parallelepiped and...
, 8 feet (2.4 m) long on each side, mounted on a corner. The cube is made of Cor-Ten steel and weighs about 1800 pounds (816.5 kg). The faces of the cube are not flat but have various indentations, protrusions, and ledges. It is not widely known as Alamo, the name given on a small plaque on one corner of the base, which was selected by the artist's wife because its scale and mass reminded her of the Alamo Mission
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas....
. Generally it is simply called The Astor Place Cube or The Cube.
Installed in 1967 as part of the "Sculpture and the Environment" organized by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs is dedicated to supporting and strengthening New York City's vibrant cultural life. Among their primary missions is to ensure adequate public funding for non-profit cultural organizations, both large and small, throughout the five boroughs.-External...
, the Cube was one of 25 temporary art installations that were intended to remain for a six-month period, however local residents successfully petitioned the city to keep the Alamo. It has since become a popular meeting place in the East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
. It stands in the middle of an intersection, across the street from both entrances to the Astor Place station
Astor Place (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
Astor Place, also called Astor Place – Cooper Union on signs, is a local station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Completed in 1904, it is one of the original twenty-eight stations in the system...
of the New York Subway and the Cooper Union
Cooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
.
The Cube's distinguishing feature is that it can be spun on its vertical axis. One person can usually push it slowly with some exertion, and two or more people without trouble. Many people who move to New York consider turning the Cube to be a ritual signaling that they have "arrived" in the city. Sitting or sleeping in the shade of the Cube is also popular.
On March 10, 2005, the Parks Department
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
The City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation is the department of government of the City of New York responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecological diversity of the city's natural areas, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's...
removed the Cube for maintenance. The original artist and crew replaced a missing bolt, and made a few other minor repairs. A makeshift replica of pvc tubes named the Jello Cube in honor of Peter Cooper
Peter Cooper
Peter Cooper was an American industrialist, inventor, philanthropist, and candidate for President of the United States...
was placed in its stead. As of November 2005, the Cube returned with a fresh coat of black paint, still able to spin.
The identical Rosenthal Cube (officially titled Endover) stands on the campus of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
between the Michigan Union
Michigan Union
The Michigan Union is a student union at the University of Michigan. It is located at the intersection of South State Street and South University Avenue in Ann Arbor, Michigan....
and the LSA Building. Rosenthal
Bernard Rosenthal
Bernard J. Rosenthal , also known as Tony Rosenthal, was an American abstract sculptor. He was the creator of the outdoor cube, Alamo that: “established him as a master of monumental public sculpture, and something of a standard bearer of the contemporary structurist esthetic.” He stated: ...
earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. The cube was donated by the class of 1965 and was installed in 1968. The Rosenthal cube also rotates but its pivot is sunken into the ground, as opposed to the pivot of the Alamo, which is on a separate platform.
Pranks
In June 2003, the Cube was the subject of a prank played by the ATF squad (All Too Flat) in which it was turned into a giant Rubik's CubeRubik's Cube
Rubik's Cube is a 3-D mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik.Originally called the "Magic Cube", the puzzle was licensed by Rubik to be sold by Ideal Toy Corp. in 1980 and won the German Game of the Year special award for Best Puzzle that...
. The cube stayed up for about 24 hours before NYC maintenance removed the painted cardboard panels from the sculpture.
In March 2006, the Graffiti Research Lab
Graffiti Research Lab
Graffiti Research Lab, founded by Evan Roth and James Powderly during their fellowships at the Eyebeam OpenLab, is an art group dedicated to outfitting graffiti writers, artists and protesters with open source technologies for urban communication. The members of the group experiment in a lab and in...
distributed LED throwies to a group of people to throw onto and decorate the Cube.
In April 2006, a tub of chalk was left by the Cube and passersby began to draw on it. Seven individuals were later arrested for vandalism. The chalk was washed off by NYC maintenance the following morning.
In October 2011, the visual artist Olek (Agata Oleksiak) made a crochet covering with her signature camouflage pattern over the cube.