PRESIDENTIAL HEADS
Complete Collection + Individual Presidents available for acquisition
After decades of sculpting colossal — and colossally important — works for the Lyric Centre, Galveston’s famed Strand, and a year after installing the bronze likeness of then-sitting President of the United States, George Bush, David unveiled his 67-foot-tall Sam Houston sculpture, A Tribute to Courage, in Huntsville, Texas, just north of Houston.
This was in 1994, the same year that a visit to Mount Rushmore inspired the artist to commence work on his most expansive collection yet: larger-than-life busts of each U.S. president.
From this point, David drew on his experience with massive steel and concrete works to create the collection of what is now known as the “Presidential Heads” in the form of 18-foot high works, from President George Washington forward, and concluded the collection in the early 21st century with President Barack Obama.
In early 2023, an Adickes presidential head sculpture — that of President John F. Kennedy —was acquired by Greater Houston’s Aldine Management District and permanently installed for public viewing near a major access point of the George H.W. Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas.
David’s dream and end-goal are to place all forty-three presidential heads—from President Washington through President Obama—as a comprehensive collection—into a regional park system or public space for historic, educational enjoyment by all.
Select, individual presidential heads are available for acquisition. The sky is the limit as to location of Adickes sculpture works. The artist envisions the works in publicly accessible parkspace, but could also accommodate placement on private residences or ranches, hospitality or music venues, corporate headquarters, or a plethora of spaces—parks, theatre districts, libraries, university and school campuses, and more.
A group of the heads were recently part of a special temporary installation at Downtown Houston’s Toyota Center, in partnership with Houston First. Here is a behind-the-scenes video of these one-ton concrete and steel busts and heads installed for the special initiative.
To learn the storied past and hopeful future of this remarkable collection, and to find out how to acquire and have David and his team of preparators install the work on your property, please start a conversation or schedule a private appointment to tour and view the works at the artist’s private studio, via this contact link.