XL Cover Story: Three hits, three misses

Austin outdoor art that works ... or doesn't

• Cover story: Catch the "Green Wave" (and vote on your favorite piece of art)

THREE THAT GET IT RIGHT

Photo by Deborah Cannon/AA-S Even Austin's Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility has public art in the form of 'Doctor Pangloss,' a tower of trash cans.

2) "Doctor Pangloss" by Sandra Fiedorek and David Heymann, Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, 3810 Todd Lane. A perfect example of having a good time with public art, while not getting too silly. One of the great things about having a municipal art program tied to the construction of public facilities is that even mundane, out-of-the-way locations like a toxic waste collection station become sites for art. Fiedorek and Heymann named their tower of trash cans for the optimistic philosopher in Voltaire's "Candide."

3) "Snake Culvert" by T. Paul Hernandez, Austin Community Television Facility, 1143 Northwestern Ave. One of the earlier Art in Public Places projects from 1990, 'Snake Culvert' still stands out as one of the best, in large part because of the profound simplicity with which it transforms a completely ubiquitous piece of urban infrastructure -- an East Austin culvert -- into a sweetly noble visual moment. So subtly powerful is "Snake Culvert" that Art in Public Places co-opted its wavy form for its departmental logo.

THREE THAT MISS THE MARK

1) "Angelina Eberly" by Pat Oliphant, 600 block of Congress Avenue. This bronze figure is a goofy cartoon of the woman who, in 1842, chased away the men who were ordered to return public documents from Austin to Washington-on-the-Brazos. But then how would you know who she is, since there's no plaque to tell you? And why is one of the few important Texas women honored by a statue in Austin rendered in such a slapstick manner? Along with the ridiculous twirling bat by Dale Whistler at South Congress Avenue and Barton Springs Road, this unfortunate image of Eberly would be better in a theme park than on a prominent city street. 2) "Seeding Time," by Nobuho Nagasawa, City Hall, 301 W. Second St. The good news is that this work is unremarkable enough that it doesn't stand out or detract from the very smart new City Hall and its plaza. The bad news is that the ring of rocks around a tree is unremarkable and dull. Photo by Jay Janner/AA-S 'Seeding Time' is unremarkable, but at least it doesn't distract from the architecture of the new Austin City Hall. 3) "Moments," by Carl Trominski, North Lamar Boulevard railroad underpass at Third Street. In 2001, the City Council asked Art in Public Places to commission an art piece for Lamar Boulevard. Bully for the Council for such a sophisticated move: They recognized that forgettable urban locations like underpasses could benefit from public art. And bully to the program for selecting a project that was conceptual, not literal. But unfortunately the blue panels are too vague to make for a memorable moment in Austin's public art history.

Photo by Jay Janner/AA-S Jessica Danvers, 4, of Round Rock, looks up at the sculpture of Texas hero Angelina Eberly on Congress Avenue. But with no plaque to guide them, few know who the cartoonish figure is.