Arts Commission recommends Cameron Eagle’s 35-foot “66 Kicks” boot to City Council

The Oklahoma City Arts Commission voted Sept. 15 to recommend that City Council approve a public art commission agreement to install “66 Kicks,” a 35-foot boot sculpture by artist Cameron Eagle, on a MAPS-funded beautification site east of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum along historic Route 66.

The project, which carries an art award of $875,000 from MAPS, is intended as an eye-catching gateway feature for Route 66 and would sit on an approximately 5-foot mound. Randy Marks, program planner in Arts and Cultural Affairs, described the work as part of the MAPS 4 beautification program: “66 Kicks is the design proposal by Cameron Eagle for the maps for beautification project for Route 66.”

Commissioners, museum staff and neighborhood representatives discussed site details, maintenance and public access. The museum will assume day-to-day maintenance and security for the installation; Pat Fitzgerald, president and CEO of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, said the museum will provide 24/7 security and camera monitoring and will control parking access. “We do plan on maintaining this as well as…