Giant "Gator" To Float In Bay For Art Basel
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Drivers on Alligator Alley got an eyeful Sunday, when they passed a 76 food alligator head rolling down the road.
The 40 ton "Gator" was created by a team of fabricators and artists led by artist Lloyd Goradesky. After making stops on the west coast it was brought to Miami on the back of an 18-wheeler to promote "Everglades Understanding thru the image of the Alligator, one of the ecosystems prime barometer species," according to a statement by Goradesky.
"We are not out of the woods yet on Everglades restoration and to continue saving them we have to be vigilant." said Goradesky.
The 100 foot by 30 foot by 3 story tall sculpture is made out of recycled steel. During Art Basel, Floating Tile Art: Gator in the Bay will be floating in the waters of Biscayne Bay. The head will be on a self-propelled barge and the upper jaw will be attached to a crane so it looks like the gator is opening its mouth.
Next May, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Christo wrapping barrier islands in Biscayne Bay, the gator will get its body with the help of a kayaking club. At that point, the gator will be about 275 feet long, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
The environmental art project was conceived when Goradesky met environmentalist and Everglades historian Cesar A. Becerra.
CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed to this report.
