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The Owl Has Landed!
Rice Village Unveils New Outdoor Art by Noted California Metal Sculptor Nathan Mabry
HOUSTON, TX (February 6, 2017) – A vibrant, modernistic owl has perched in Rice Village, the latest in a series of spirited, Instagram-worthy art additions designed to bring a new vibe to the popular shopping and dining destination.
The work of California metal sculptor Nathan Mabry, the origami-shaped, aluminum owl is now perched above the sidewalk on Kelvin Drive just north of University Boulevard.
Roughly 18 months in the making, the Rice Village owl is Mabry’s first piece in Houston. He completed a large-scale aluminum sculpture for a Toronto project last year.
“While researching Rice Village, I became interested in the vibrant history of the neighborhood and proximity to Rice University. I find myself particularly engaged with the mascot of Rice University, the Owl,” explains Mabry. “It’s a powerful symbol in both antiquity and contemporary life. My work has long explored the depiction of birds from all facets of art history.”
The large aluminum owl is accented by four lifelike owls, each of which has come to rest on the large abstract. Mabry says the smaller cast metal owls embody elements of surrealism while playfully acknowledging the inevitability of an outdoor sculpture’s exposure to the elements; all while having an enigmatic permanence. The abstract metal form and the realistic cast owls are painted in a deep blue color while the use of monochrome color unifies the components and celebrates Rice University and the State of Texas.
“I found the notion of an abstract metal monument rooted in something as intimate, delicate, and universal as folding paper intriguing,” Mabry adds. “After folding numerous examples of owls by hand in my studio, I finally came to a specific configuration that married my conceptual and formal practice as an artist with a folded form that exemplified the mystical owl.”
The installation of Mabry’s metal art sculpture follows Rice Village’s unveiling of an inspiring mural on nearby Morningside Drive by Houston artist Mario Enrique Figueroa, Jr., better known as GONZO247. Houston-based MKG Art Management has been assisting Trademark Property in commissioning exciting, accessible public art to create an energized sense of place as Rice Village returns to its eclectic roots.
A mural on the exterior of the Rice Village garage is planned as the retail property managed by Trademark Property Co. improves its aesthetics and overall shopping experience while preserving and enhancing its unique character.
“We want Rice Village to be a place people love to visit for reasons other than just shopping,” explains Terry Montesi, CEO, Trademark Property Co. “We believe enhancing the visual environment improves the experience and makes visitors to Rice Village feel cared about. Through our Conscious Place initiative, public art is one of the ways in which we contribute to that experience.”
Visit www.RiceVillageDistrict.com for additional information about Rice Village including store sales and new arrivals. Also, follow Rice Village at www.Facebook.com/RiceVillageDistrict, on Twitter @RiceVillageDist and Instagram @RiceVillageDistrict.
About Rice Village
Rice Village is a historic Houston outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment district near Rice University featuring more than 40 retail and restaurant options such as Athleta, Bluemercury, D’Amico’s Italian Market Café, Hemline, Kendra Scott Jewelry, Lily Rain, MAC Cosmetics, Nao Ramen House and Urban Outfitters. Bounded by Kirby Drive, University Boulevard, Times Boulevard and Morningside Drive, Rice Village has been a part of the Houston retail landscape since 1938. Trademark Property Co. manages the project, including development, leasing and property management services.
About Trademark Property Co.
Trademark Property Co. is an operator, investor and developer of award-winning, mixed-use town centers, specialty, community, power centers and enclosed regional malls. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2017, the Fort Worth, Texas-based Trademark has invested in, or developed over 11.5 million square feet of retail and mixed-use assets worth over $2 billion. Trademark’s experienced team of 120 employees is responsible for approximately 6.8 million square feet of retail and mixed-use projects currently in operation or development/redevelopment, including: Alliance Town Center (Fort Worth, Texas), Burr Ridge Village Center (Chicago, Ill.), Glades Plaza (Boca Raton, Fla.), Hillside Village (Cedar Hill, Texas), La Palmera (Corpus Christi, Texas), Market Street Flowood (Flowood, Miss.), Market Street – The Woodlands (The Woodlands, Texas), First Street Napa (Napa, Calif.), Perkins Rowe (Baton Rouge, La.), Rice Village (Houston, Texas), Saddle Creek (Germantown, Tenn.), The Shops at La Palmera (Corpus Christi, Texas), Victory Park (Dallas, Texas), Watters Creek (Allen, Texas), Waterside (Fort Worth, Texas), and WestBend (Fort Worth, Texas). For more information, visit www.trademarkproperty.com or interact on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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