A giant push-pin, part of an art installation, was dedicated a few days ago by state and local officials off Route 66 in Wellston, Oklahoma.
The 23-foot-tall push-pin, designed by Joseph O’Connell of Creative Machines and titled “You Are Here,” which lights up from inside at night.
It is off Exit 158 of Interstate 44, near the newly reconstructed Turner Turnpike bridge. The push-pin also marks the midpoint of Route 66 in the Sooner State.
Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who leads the state’s tourism division, was there:
According to KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City:
The push pin features a stained-glass design that lights up at night and includes iconic Oklahoma imagery, such as Turner Falls, the state animal — the bison — and nods to Oklahoma’s aviation and music history.
“At best, public art does more than beautify a space. It creates connection, it invites people to pause,” said Amber Sharples, executive director of the Oklahoma Arts Council.
Fox 25 in Oklahoma City reported about a wall-mounted art piece on the new bridge, titled “Harvest and Highway.”
It stretches the length of the bridge wall. Officials say the brightly colored, powder-coated metal panels are designed to honor Wellston’s agricultural heritage and land through five elemental themes central to the community’s identity, including corn, wheat, roads, water, and earth. ‘Harvest and Highway’ was designed by Cliff Garten Studio.
A third art installation, ‘Relics and Reed’ by Helen and Will Arts, is currently being constructed. Once it’s complete, there will be 17 steel vignettes depicting wheat, native plants, and automobile iconography. This will pay tribute to the surrounding landscape and legacy of Route 66.
(Night image of the “You Are Here” push-pin in Wellston, Oklahoma, via Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell)