Metal recycling isn’t just for car mechanics and junkyard dogs. In fact, some truly impressive works of design, sculpture, and architecture come from the same metal materials that you haul off to your local metal scrap recycler. And here in Austin, where we’re known for our artistic innovation and eco-friendliness, metal is a hot commodity. It’s an eye-catcher, too. Here are just a few of Austin’s many exciting metal sculptures that help define our city’s quirky and creative personality.
CAW
It’s undeniable that Austin is one of the coolest cities in the US—we’ve even topped countless “Best Places to Live” lists over the past decade. Since 2017, the capital of Texas has also been home to the swoon-worthy Austin Central Library, which Time magazine rated as one of the greatest places in the world. This literary hub celebrates the best of modern architecture and eco-friendly design. It’s also home to CAW, a bright-red kinetic sculpture designed by artist Christian Moeller. This 37-foot aluminum art piece is the focal point of the library, spanning the wall of the main atrium that bolsters all five floors.
Looking Up
Sitting on the banks of Lake Austin, Laguna Gloria is one of Austin’s premiere contemporary art museums. And it’s here that the Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park is home to another of our favorite metal sculptures in Austin—Looking Up by Tom Friedman, a 33-foot recycled metal wonder. This long-limbed man is the tallest sculpture in the park’s grounds to date, and we love it for both its whimsical appeal (Tim Burton would definitely approve) and its resourceful construction, as it was made from recycled aluminum.
Metal Work Austin
If you’re in the market for some new home furnishings or decor, local business Metal Work Austin has got you covered. As metal fabricators, they do it all, from designing and welding to finishing and installing. They offer furniture, decorative gates and exteriors, signs, railings and more, designed to make your home more interesting and beautiful. Our favorite, however, would have to be this flamingo-pink outdoor ping pong table, perfect for year-round games in sunny Austin weather.
Stevie Ray Vaughan Statue
There’s a reason that Austin is nicknamed the Live Music Capital of the World. It’s not just because of the plethora of bands playing live every night, from honky tonk and blues to EDM and punk rock. It’s also because we’re fiercely proud of our musical heritage and roots. One case in point is the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue that sits on the shores of Lady Bird Lake looking out over the Austin skyline.
Constructed from bronze, this green-hued memorial sculpture is a photo-op must for locals and tourists alike. So great is their love for the blues legend, Austinites often dress him in flowers, and they even helped track down the man who defaced the statue last year, proving that the state motto should probably be updated to “Don’t Mess with Texans.”
Whether it’s aluminum cans or an entire worksite of metal you need to get rid of, Gardner Metals knows metal recycling best, and we’re here to take those scraps off your hands—we even pay you for the privilege. And who knows, that truckload of metal may just become your new favorite sculpture around town!