Jumbo-Wumbo Technico
Artist
Tommy Fox
(American, born 1991)
Date2020
MediumSteel, powder coated aluminum, and polyurethane with gilded bronze
DimensionsHt.: 34 ft. (1036.3 cm)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineGift of J. Douglas Perry, Thomas L. Stokes, Jr., and Joseph T. Waldo, with support from Thomas W. Godfrey, Jr., Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc.; John E. Payne, Jr.; and Thom White, Work Program Architects
Object number2020.18
On View
On viewAs the artist describes it, Jumbo-Wumbo Technico is “a lofty whimsical tower” that uses color theory and visual contrast to create an design that is bright, accessible, and pleasing to all: “Whether the viewer spends a moment looking up or an afternoon in the grass, I encourage them to ponder happily and dream with abandon.”
He continues: “Living in a world that is increasingly skeptical of old systems and values, I felt the need to incorporate modern colors and materials at the forefront. The playful symbols (affectionately called “Splox”) are open to interpretation, rather than prescribed to the history of one man or one war. In the place of severe, imposing reminders of a past that didn't always offer equity or accessibility, I hope to relate a vision of joyful fellowship and boundless possibility.”