John Henry

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - The East Side has a new landmark, and it's a big one.

"Star Pointer," an abstract sculpture more than 70 feet tall by artist John Henry, was installed this week in a vacant area adjacent to the Vidorra condos and across the street from the Ellis Alley Park & Ride.

The Blue Star Contemporary Art Center and VIA Metropolitan Transit held a dedication ceremony Friday morning. VIA owns the property where the bright-red piece will be on display for a year.

The initial plan was to install the sculpture at a site near the Blue Star Arts Complex in Southtown, said Bill FitzGibbons, the executive director of the art center and who curated a show of Henry's work at the San Antonio Botanical Garden last year. When that didn't work out, he approached VIA.

"This is great visibility with the interstate here, and it's kind of a nice bookend with the Sebastian piece that's in front of the Alamo," FitzGibbons said.

Keith Parker, CEO of VIA, said this could be the beginning of a public art program for the transit system.

"I'd like it to be," he said. "I'm a big supporter of public art and believe that it enhances the overall experience of our riders and even our nonriders."