The city of Fort Worth has been stepping up its public art game with a striking new addition in the form of "Intimate Apparel & Pearl Earrings," a suspended sculpture adorning the Houston Street Lobby of the Fort Worth Convention Center. This latest installation, which captures the essence of Fort Worth's cowboy culture, features over 400 new and used cowboy hats fixed to a steel frame, according to a report by the City of Fort Worth.
The man behind the design, American sculptor Donald Lipski, was chosen after a national selection process for his concept that integrates both the heritage and the progressiveness of Fort Worth. Interestingly, among the numerous hats collected for the cause, a number come with notable backstories. For instance, Blake Moorman, a Fort Worth Convention Center's director of sales and marketing, donated a hat adorned with personal emblems, including one from Texas Christian University, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Jubilee Theater, and the University of Texas at Arlington, Fort Worth's city news stated.
Not only a reflection of personal histories but also the collective Texan spirit, the sculpture showcases hats from prominent figures like former Govs. Rick Perry and Jeb Bush, President George H. Bush, cowboy legend Kinky Friedman, and others. In a particular nod to rodeo star Garlene Tindell Parris's contributions, Lipski scrambled letters from her name to arrive at the piece's title, city Public Art Collection Manager Jenny Conn shared. Suspended by cable, the structure adds movement via the power of the building’s HVAC system, giving a somewhat lifelike dynamism to the collection of Stetsons and sombreros.
While the artwork impressively dominates the lobby space, careful observers will discover unique elements like a bronze sombrero and a smile-inducing hat with a smiley face worked into its crown. These hidden treasures seem to offer inside jokes for those in the know, and the place is, according to Conn, "memorialized internationally in selfies" by visitors. The artwork's broad appeal is evident, with Blake Moorman reflecting on the joy of pointing out his own hat to others, "right under the star." He told Fort Worth city news, "It’s such a proud moment to point out the hat to people."
