If I had to pick 1 saxophone sculpture that I’ve come across to date was my favourite, it would have to be this one in Houston, Texas, that is in part made of Volkswagen Beetle parts. You see, VWs played an important part in my life growing up.
My dad worked for Volkswagen Germany, and then Volkswagen Canada, as a field mechanic and service trainer, so there always has been—and to a lesser degree still is—lots of VW, Audi, and Porsche paraphernalia around the house. (My dad worked for all 3 companies at one time or another.)
Given this information, I guess you don’t need to ask what my first car was. Yes, it was a 1968 Beetle that my dad found for me, and in part updated and restored himself. He was deeply disappointed when I later in life switched teams, and became a devoted Volvo owner. It was like I betrayed the family.
In any event, I still love the original VW Beetle. And this sculpture brings my love of saxophone and VWs together.
Recently Victor Chelf took a series of photos of this saxophone sculpture, and assembled them together in this new HDR image.
Just the Sax, Ma’am
Photography by: Victor Chelf Source: Flickr
What I found really interesting is that Chelf included some background history on this sculpture—which recently has been restored. The art work had been vandalized quite badly and had lost lots of its original lustre, after the previous restaurant closed.
This is what Chelf writes about this unique and original saxophone sculpture:
The SAX; Originally known as “The Smoke Sax” was built in 1993 by artist Bob Wade of Austin, TX. It is 70 feet tall and is made of an oil field pipe, upside down Volkswagen Beetle, beer kegs, canoe, hub caps, surf board and chrome. The Horn Bar and Grille is at 6025 Richmond Avenue in Houston, TX.
