On our Tucson Walking Tours we see many murals and pieces of public art that help tell the history and story of Tucson, but also share the unique culture of Southern Arizona. We see murals that depict Native American Ceremonies and Traditions, murals that celebrate El Tour de Tucson - the largest single day cycling event in the United States held annually in November, murals that recall our days as part of Mexico, and so much more. We also see sculpted art, and once such piece that we see is the Presidio Fountain designed by Charles Clement in 1970, completed in 1971.
Charles Clement was born in New York in 1921, studied art in New York City, and moved to Tucson in 1950. He would live in Tucson until his death in 1981. We still have several of his sculpted art pieces around Tucson today.
Charles Clement was part of the Modernist Art Movement of the mid-century era and much of his sculpted art depicted either wildlife or landscape in an abstract form. One of his pieces is the Presidio Fountain located on the plaza to the west of the Historic Pima County Courthouse. This stunning fountain details Tucson's relationship with the precious resource of water! You will notice the fountain has flowing patterns and sun dial patterns in the tile work on the middle structure. There is more symbolism to be found in this stunning modernist sculpted piece, and I hope you join me on a Strolls and Stories Tours Downtown Tucson Walking Tour to learn more!
Get This - When Tucson was first founded way back in 1775 as a Spanish Colonial Presidio, Presidio meaning Fort, the Santa Cruz River flowed above ground year round and the water source for the Presidio was a natural spring that bubbled up out of the ground! That natural spring, today dry, was in the present day Barrio Viejo neighborhood. Join me on a Strolls and Stories Tours Downtown Tucson Walking Tour or Barrio Viejo Walking Tour to learn more about Tucson's relationship with the precious resource of water! https://www.strollsandstoriestours.com/our-tours
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