We often say "our art is not complete until people have added themselves to it." With the Wet Wheel, that addition is unique and personal.  When a rider or pedestrian enters the sculpture, they become the "hub" of the wheel, and tiny jets of water take the place of spokes. That’s right: the rider or pedestrian gets a short squirt of clean water from all directions.

 

The sculpture is a giant bicycle wheel on a walking/cycling path along the new Maclovio Barraza Parkway in downtown Tucson. The spokes of the wheel appear to be absent but when a cyclist rides through, water jets appear in the place of spokes and give the rider a quick burst of water. The water jets form a precise spoke pattern, and can be triggered by pedestrians also.

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The concept for this sculpture came to me 12 years ago after a bike ride from my home to our studio. When I’d make that ride in the summer, I’d start in my outdoor shower so I was soaking wet, but by the halfway point, I was always dry and hot again. How wonderful, I thought, if there could be an opportunity to get squirted on hot days for riders who choose that. That’s exactly how it started – a purely selfish thought. Subsequent research showed that this location is far from splash pads and other opportunities to cool off. I showed the idea to my six year old son and he immediately got it. When I presented the concept to the selection committee and City officials they had the courage and humor to allow the project to go forward.

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Date:

2022

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Location:

Downtown Links, Maclovio Barraza Parkway East of Stone Avenue, Tucson, Arizona

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Dimensions:

17’ wide x 14’ high

 

Medium:

Stainless steel, recycled tires, electronics

 

Artist:

Joseph O'Connell + Creative Machines