La Antorcha de la Amistad
La Antorcha de la Amistad is a monumental abstract sculpture by Mexican sculptor Sebastián, installed in Downtown San Antonio, Texas. The work was commissioned by a group of Mexican businessmen living in the United States and friends of Mexico, and it was presented as a gift from the Mexican government to the City of San Antonio in 2002. The sculpture was unveiled on June 27, 2002, by the artist, Mayor Edward D. Garza, and Jorge Castañeda Gutman, then Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
© gillfoto · CC BY-SA 4.0
October 2017 © Irid Escent · CC BY-SA 2.0
© Corey Leopold · CC BY 2.0
Identification | |
| Title | La Antorcha de la Amistad |
| Type | monumental abstract sculpture |
| English title | The Torch of Friendship |
Creator | |
| Artist | Enrique Carbajal, known as Sebastián |
| Artist nationality | Mexican |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Commissioned by | Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos (Association of Mexican Entrepreneurs), a Texas non-profit composed of Mexican-American business owners and professionals |
| Collaborators | The Mexican Consulate and the City of San Antonio |
| Chosen site | an empty traffic island at the intersection of Losoya, Alamo, and Commerce streets in downtown San Antonio |
Historical context | |
| Presented as | a gift from the Mexican government to the City of San Antonio |
| Presented date | 2002 |
| Unveiling date | June 27, 2002 |
| Presented by | the artist, Mayor Edward D. Garza, and then Mexican Secretary of Foreign Relations Jorge Castañeda Gutman |
| Chief organizer | Alejandro Quiroz |
| Initial proposed location | HemisFair Park in San Antonio |
Location and ownership | |
| Site context | a place known to international tourists |
| Visibility constraint | the view from directly below is often inaccessible because the sculpture stands in a busy traffic roundabout |
| Nearby landmarks | the San Antonio River Walk and the Alamo |
| Current location | a traffic roundabout in downtown San Antonio, Texas, United States, at the intersection of Losoya, Commerce, Market, and Alamo streets |
Physical characteristics | |
| Height | approximately 20 m (nearly 65 ft) |
| Weight | more than 45 tons (40,800 kg) |
| Form | Two posts rise at non-parallel angles, appear to emerge straight upward, then curve and twist separately before meeting at the top |
| Geometry | geometric, without strictly right angles |
Materials | |
| Material | enameled iron |
Appearance | |
| Top appearance | from different viewing angles, the top appears to be a different sculpture |
| Lighting | constantly illuminated with changing colors and light patterns at different times of the year |
Iconography and meaning | |
| Interpretation | reflects a complex but close relationship between the two nations |
| Quiroz interpretation | the two columns signify two countries, two languages, and two cultures |
| Artist’s description | a torch rising from the ground |
| Additional symbolism | represents the United States and Mexico coming together |
| Symbolism | a symbol of cooperation and shared culture between Mexico and San Antonio |
History and restoration | |
| Site controversy | the location was controversial because downtown public art and architecture are strictly controlled and citizens complained that it clashed with the surroundings |
| Approval process | the City Council approved the site within a week before the dedication |
| Reception | initially controversial, later received favorable reviews |
| Maintenance cost | about $5,000 in tax money |
Significance | |
| Current status | one of the icons of San Antonio |