Calabashes
The calabash, or gourd, is the inspiration for these sculptures. The calabash, like the people of Tucson, is hardy and adaptable and thrives in the Sonoran Desert. And, like the train that transports people from place to place, the calabash has served an important role (namely as a water vessel) in the transporational and migrational flow of people for millennia. And the calabash is the earliest known domesticated plant.
Art Form: Sculpture
Location: Downtown
Collection(s): City of Tucson
Funding: Department of Transportation
Artist(s): Eric Powell
Eric Powell, Calabashes, 2013.
Depicting a gourd composed of painted steel tubing, artist Eric Powell references the deep connections between the desert and water. The gourd, or 'calabash', directly represents the people of Tucson: hardy and adaptable, with the ability to thrive in the Sonoran Desert.
Dimensions: 66"h x 16'w x 66"h
Address: 114 E Broadway Blvd. (Modern Streetcar Stop: 6th Ave at Broadway Blvd. & Congress St.)
