Tony Rosenthal's Alamo Cube: Iconic Public Sculpture in New York's Astor Place
Tony Rosenthal's sculpture 'Alamo,' commonly known as the Astor Place Cube, is a 15-foot painted Cor-Ten steel cube installed in Manhattan's Astor Place in 1967. Originally intended as a temporary piece, it became permanent after a community petition. The work is notable as New York City's first purchased contemporary sculpture and its first permanent outdoor contemporary artwork. Created with assistance from Donald Lippincott of Lippincott Foundry, it marked Rosenthal's shift to using fabricators for large-scale pieces. The interactive, rotating sculpture blends geometric abstraction with public engagement, reflecting 1960s cultural shifts. It underwent restoration in 2023 by Versteeg Art Fabricators, funded by the Rosenthal estate, with maintenance now handled by the New York City Department of Transportation.
Key facts
- Sculptor Tony Rosenthal created 'Alamo' in 1967 from painted Cor-Ten steel, measuring 15 feet in each dimension.
- Originally a temporary installation, it became permanent at Astor Place in Manhattan due to public demand.
- It was the first contemporary sculpture purchased by New York City and the first permanent contemporary outdoor sculpture installed there.
- The sculpture features a rotating mechanism that allows public interaction, though this was not originally intended by Rosenthal.
- In 2023, it was fully restored by Versteeg Art Fabricators, with costs covered by the Rosenthal estate.
Entities
Artists
- Tony Rosenthal
Institutions
- Lippincott Foundry
- New York City Department of Transportation
- Tony Rosenthal Art Estate
- Versteeg Art Fabricators
Locations
- Astor Place, Manhattan, New York City, USA