Client: Downtown Redevelopment Authority

Overview

Brooklyn-based artists Chiaozza created five unique sculptures for “Whale Bone Dinner Party,” an imaginative permanent playscape composed of hand-painted fiberglass with a variety of playful colors and patterns. The sculptures evoke a feeling that one has just discovered themselves washed ashore after being lost at sea.

Weingarten Art Group partnered with the Houston’s Downtown Redevelopment Authority to create a vibrant art experience at Trebly Park, with Chiaozza’s Whale Bone Dinner Party as its centerpiece. The park opened in early 2023 on a ¾ block in Downtown Houston and features both permanent and temporary artworks that welcome park visitors to a space of immersive play.

Goals

The goal for the art program is to weave art into this downtown park in a way that transforms it into a neighborhood oasis. Chiaozza’s sculptures invite curiosity and open-ended play. Designed for durability and safety, the sculptures -- and the rubber flooring surrounding them -- ensure that people of all ages can interact, climb, and enjoy.

Process

Chiaozza was invited to create a site-specific design, partnering with a local team on fabrication. The artist duo came to Houston to hand-paint each sculpture.