Last updated: April 6, 2021
Place
"Jack Kerouac Commemorative" Sculpture
Jim Higgins
Quick Facts
Location:
Jack Kerouac Park (Bridge and French Streets)
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
This work of public art is a tribute to Jack Kerouac (1922-1969), the Lowell native whose most famous book, On The Road, challenged the conformism of the 1950s and remains a pivotal "coming of age" novel. Five of his novels are set in Lowell and his writings are part of the city's cultural heritage.
Excepts from 10 of Kerouac's 20 books appear on eight triangular, polished, reddish-brown granite columns, creating a literary giant's memorial in language. The granite was quarried in South Dakota, and cut in Minnesota. West Virginia graphic designers worked on the text. The paved path, shaped as a cross and series of circles, refers to Kerouac's Roman Catholic and Buddhist beliefs, and evokes his lifelong spiritual quest. The design is reminiscent of a mandala, a pattern symbolizing the universe.
The artist, Ben Woitena, of Houston, Texas, knows Kerouac's work well. His design was selected in a national competition. Woitena was a faculty member at Glassel School for 27 years. His preferred medium is welded and painted steel, and his sculptures are found at public sites all over Texas, including the Houston and San Antonio Museums of Fine Art, and the State Capital Building.
Site: Eastern Canal Park, Bridge and French Street
Artist: Ben Woitena
Materials: Granite and Stainless Steel
Excepts from 10 of Kerouac's 20 books appear on eight triangular, polished, reddish-brown granite columns, creating a literary giant's memorial in language. The granite was quarried in South Dakota, and cut in Minnesota. West Virginia graphic designers worked on the text. The paved path, shaped as a cross and series of circles, refers to Kerouac's Roman Catholic and Buddhist beliefs, and evokes his lifelong spiritual quest. The design is reminiscent of a mandala, a pattern symbolizing the universe.
The artist, Ben Woitena, of Houston, Texas, knows Kerouac's work well. His design was selected in a national competition. Woitena was a faculty member at Glassel School for 27 years. His preferred medium is welded and painted steel, and his sculptures are found at public sites all over Texas, including the Houston and San Antonio Museums of Fine Art, and the State Capital Building.
Site: Eastern Canal Park, Bridge and French Street
Artist: Ben Woitena
Materials: Granite and Stainless Steel