Since San Antonio started its public art program 30 years ago, our city has amassed an amazing collection of work from top-tier creators that liven up buildings, parks and even highway underpasses all over town.
The public art collection has grown to more than 800 works spread across all 10 City Council Districts, each offering an invigorating way for residents to tap into our community’s cultural DNA.
To get you started, here’s a list of some of the Current’s favorites public art pieces, including details the pieces’ history, the artists’ backgrounds and where to find them. Happy viewing!
Neon Drive, 401-405 Nolan St.
Artist: Iker Muro
A mural spanning 300 feet on the Nolan Street underpass, the art has an abstract focus on reflected light in a variety of colors. Created by Canary Islands-based artist Iker Muro, the mural complements another mural project on a different section of the underpass, by artist Alex Rubio.
La Antorcha de la Amistad (The Torch of Friendship), 351 Losoya St.
Artist: Sebastian
Certainly the most iconic piece of art San Antonio has to offer, La Antorcha de la Amistad (The Torch of Friendship) was commissioned as a gift, a token of goodwill between the Mexican government and the City of San Antonio.
Secrets of the Wild Woman, 6th Street and Avenue B
Artist: Angela Fox
Based on a previous painting commemorating the passing of her beloved cat (title: Kevin in Heaven), Angela Fox’s Secrets of the Wild Woman conjures a surrealist dream sequence starring a female figure, a flying orange feline, a scorpion and snakes.
Nessie, Tom Slick Park, 7400 Texas Highway 151
Artist: Elizabeth Carrington
You don’t have to go all the way to Scotland to glimpse the Loch Ness Monster, because Nessie is also in residence at Tom Slick Park. Artist Elizabeth Carrington took inspiration from the park’s namesake for the sculpture — Tom Slick was known for his passion for cryptozoology.
F.I.S.H., 200 West Jones Ave.
Artist: Donald Lipski
These light-up models of long-eared sunfish hang under an overpass on the River Walk’s Museum Reach near the San Antonio Museum of Art.
Árbol de la Vida: Memorias y Voces de la Tierra (Tree of Life: Memories and Voices of the Land), 10040 Espada Road
Artist: Margarita Cabrera
For this piece located near Mission San Francisco de la Espada, Margarita Cabrera collaborated with community members to create 700 clay sculptures that adorn a steel tree-like structure.
Ujuālnān (Grand Sky), 4838 Old Pearsall Road
Artist: Doroteo Garza
Made of concrete and adorned with locally sourced ceramic tiles, this series of sculptures takes the viewer out of this world. The pieces are based on the Milky Way, centered on the creation story of Yanaguana. No better opportunity to contemplate existence and your connection to the cosmos.
Kindred, 3143 Mission Road
Artist: Ashley Perez
A tribute to the descendants of the San Antonio Missions, this mixed-media sculpture displays multiple symbols from narratives of regional colonization. Two hands, inspired by the hands of Vincent Huizar, open toward each other with flowing water between them, and mesquite pods, corn cobs and wheat grains each signify a central piece to native descendants.
Orgullo Tejano (Tejano Pride), Old Highway 90 and SW 37th St.
Artist: Luis Lopez
This towering accordion player is hard to miss along Old Highway 90. Decorated with bright red and green mosaic, this piece celebrates the musical legacy of the area, especially conjunto and Tejano music.
A Small History of the East Side & ZerNona, 333 Martin Luther King Drive
Artist: Ronney Stevens
These two pieces, located in the ZerNona Black Community Center, display the history of the city’s East Side and include snapshots of local educator ZerNona Black, for whom the center is named. The first piece, painted on polytab, illustrates Cuney Elementary and Philip’s College, along with depictions of civil rights protests, while the second mural shows Black’s family and achievements.
Labor Plaza, River Walk Public Art Garden
Artists: Octavio Quintanilla, Ries Niemi
Honoring San Antonio’s labor movement, this spiral walkway in the River Walk Public Art Garden allows residents to walk through the local history of labor and its connections to social justice causes. Visual artist Ries Niemi partnered with San Antonio Poet Laureate Quintanilla to print the pieces on the ceramic tiles. Within it, a poem by Quintanilla seeks to bring people together in their experiences.
Alas de México (Wings of Mexico), Tower of the Americas, 739 E. César E. Chávez Blvd.
Artist: Jorge Marín
While we’re not sure how effectively Jorge Marín’s sculpture will inspire visitors to “pause and reflect on the relationship between San Antonio and Mexico,” we’ve seen its selfie strengths successfully at play, with tourists patiently waiting to climb atop its pedestal and pose as a gold-winged angel beneath the Tower of the Americas.
La Veladora of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1315 Guadalupe St.
Artist: Jesse Treviño
This spectacular mural features a 3D votive candle (veladora) with an eternal flame facing Guadalupe Street. Intended to serve as a beacon for the neighborhood, this mixed media mural is truly magnificent. It was created by revered San Antonio artist Jesse Treviño, who died in 2023 following a battle with cancer.
River Walk Public Art Garden, 849 E. Commerce St.
Artist: Various Artists
This open-air art garden located on the San Antonio River Walk at the intersection where Market and Alamo Streets meet features permanent and rotating sculptures and art pieces by local and international artists. For those that need help finding the entrance, look no further than the colorful “Welcome to the River Walk Public Art Garden” sign by San Antonio artist Gary Sweeney.
Chris Park, 111 Camp St.
Artist: Teresita Fernández
Located near Ruby City, Chris Park features “visual experiences” conceived by artist Teresita Fernández.
Touch, Herweck’s Art Supply, 300 Broadway
Artist: Suzy González
You can draw inspiration from Suzy González’s vibrant mural Touch then get supplies at Herweck’s to make art of your own.
Innature and Lightbox, Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge at Phil Hardberger Park, 8400 N.W. Military Highway and 13203 Blanco Road
Artists: Ashley Mireles (Innature) and Cade Bradshaw (Lightbox)
Located on the Land Bridge crossing over Wurzbach Parkway in Phil Hardberger Park, Ashley Mireles’ Innature and Cade Bradshaw’s Lightbox serve as wildlife viewing blinds for park visitors to take a break from their hikes and experience a glimpse of Texas plants and wildlife.
San Antonio Street Art Initiative Underpass Murals, Interstate 35 underpass near St. Mary’s and Elmira streets
Artist: Various artists
In 2018, the nonprofit San Antonio Street Art Initiative pulled together some of the city’s best muralists to decorate the pillars under I-35 just north of downtown, transforming barren concrete into a visual wonderland. It’s easy to lose track of time wandering between the creations, each of which conveys its own world.
Dream Song Tower, I-35 Access Road at S. Zarzamora St.
Artist: Cruz Ortiz
Cruz Ortiz’s dramatic sculpture recalls a strange hybrid of a radio tower, a rocket ship and a tepee tricked out with his graphic signatures and visual nods to Selena (the words “Siempre Dreaming of You”) and the urban legends of the Donkey Lady and the chicken-footed Dancing Devil.
Canopy, Fulton Railroad Underpass, 729 Fulton Ave.
Artist: Joey Fauerso
Playfully rendered in a palette of cool blues and greens, San Antonio artist and educator Joey Fauerso’s Canopy mural brings a sense of serenity to a railroad underpass in Alta Vista.
Grotto, 1277 Camden St.
Artist: Carlos Cortés
Located at a bend in the San Antonio River between the Camden and Newell Street Bridges, this three-story sculpture made by Carlos Cortés is one of the most popular public art projects on the River Walk’s Museum Reach.
PLAY, Yanaguana Garden at Hemisfair, 434 S. Alamo St.
Artists: Various Artists
The PLAY series at Hemisfair’s Yanaguana Garden adds an artistic touch to the popular playground. Of particular note are Alex Rubio’s YANAGUANA, Stuart Allen’s Reflect, Oscar Alvarado’s Yanaguana Triad, Jennifer Khoshbin’s Sideshow and Karen Mahaffy’s PLAYhouse.
Open Hand, Open Mind, Open Heart, 1101 Iowa St.
Artist: Douglas Kornfeld
Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s message of nonviolence, this 32-foot tall sculpture in Sullivan Park faces San Antonio’s downtown skyline.
The Last Parade, Kress Building, 311-315 E. Houston St.
Artist: Rudy Herrera
Rudy Herrerra’s massive mural The Last Parade adorns one side of the Kress Building downtown, creating a striking and colorful visual statement.
Golden Age, Phil Hardberger Park, 8400 N.W. Military Highway
Artist: Anne Wallace
Anne Wallace’s Golden Age springs out of the ground at Phil Hardberger Park. The piece is made up of six wheels made from parts of side roll irrigators, which are used to manage and restore grasslands, with sparkling gold sequins that are meant to evoke the look of a prairie wildfire.
La Puerta de Igualdad (Doors of Equality), 700 San Pedro Ave.
Artist: Sebastian
Mexican artist Sebastian’s La Puerta de Igualdad, a 33-foot-tall gateway installed at the San Pedro roundabout a block north of the San Antonio Central Library, emblematizes the ongoing struggle for justice via a pair of tightly wound cobalt blue pillars.
Miraflores Sculpture Garden, 1234-1366 E. Hildebrand Ave.
Artist: Various artists
This decaying wonder near Brackenridge Park is hidden behind a fence but still visible from Hildebrand, guarded by a beautiful gate titled “Monumento a la Ciudad de México.” Created by local physician and art collector Aureliano Urrutia, the green space is full of sculpture, tiled benches and fountains, all falling into graceful disrepair. The garden is now owned by the City of San Antonio and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as designated as a State Archaeological Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission.
Illuminados, Hays Street Bridge, 803 N. Cherry St.
Artist: Los Dos
This mural by married El Paso duo “Los Dos,” Ramon and Christian Cardenas, offers whimsical imagery tucked beneath the Hays Street Bridge.
Aguas Onduladas (Rippling Waters), Elmendorf Lake Park, 3702 W. Commerce St.
Artist: RDG Dahlquist Art Studio
Designed by Iowa-based RDG Dahlquist Art Studio in response to the “natural beauty” of nearby Elmendorf Lake, the project takes shape in three ripping waves cut from stainless steel.
Najo Jām (Our Home), Comanche Lookout Park, 15551 Nacogdoches Road
Artists: Carlos Cortés and Doroteo Garza
The peak at Comanche Lookout Park has always been known for its stunning views, and was made even more beautiful with the installation Najo Jām in early 2021. Its title means “Our Home” in the Coahuiltecan language Pajalate.
Spineway, 1401 Cincinnati Ave.
Artist: Marc Fornes
French-born, New York-based artist Marc Fornes created Spineway as his first outdoor public art installation in the United States. The illuminated sculpture is 20 feet tall and roughly 70 feet wide.
Spirit of the Phoenix, Fire Station 18, 1318 S. W.W. White Road
Artist: Cathy Cunningham-Little
Ever-inventive local artist Cathy Cunningham-Little’s Spirit of the Phoenix is optimized for nighttime viewing in a fairly unusual spot.
Windows to Our Heritage, Highway 90 Underpasses at S. Presa Street, Roosevelt Ave., Mission Road and Steves Ave.
Artists: David Blancas and Oscar Alvarado
Painter David Blancas and sculptor Oscar Alvarado’s Windows to Our Heritage successfully breathes life and color into otherwise nondescript underpasses, and also wins with its thoughtful mixture of icons and locales both the essential and unexpected — from Mission Espada and Hot Wells Hotel to Sunshine Amusement Park and the Ghost Tracks.
7 Rabbits, Freight Gallery, 1913 S. Flores St.
Artist: Ernesto Ibañez
Ernesto Ibañez adorned the side of Freight Gallery with a mural depicting colorful rabbits in his iconic art style.
Whispers, West River Bank, North of Mission Road
Artist: Arne Quinze
Whispers was imagined as a portal between Mission San Juan and the River, placed along the walking path and created with colors that reference local wildflowers.
Life Cycle of the Gulf Coast Toad, 987 E. Mulberry Ave.
Artist: Diana Kersey
Inlaid in the guard rails of this bridge on Mulberry Road at Brackenridge Park are 24 ceramic panels depicting the life cycle of the gulf coast toad, a Texas native species commonly seen in the park. Artist Diana Kersey also made the ceramic artwork adorning the Millrace Bridge in Brackenridge.
From the Westside to Worldwide: The Story of Robert “Pikin” Quiroga, 303 Dartmouth St.
Artist: Mike “Comp” Arguello
This painted mural honors the legacy of Robert Quiroga, the first world champion boxer from San Antonio. A visual timeline, the piece uses photos and headlines to tell his story from a young boy to world-famous boxer.