NYC - Queens - Flushing: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park - The Rocket Thrower

The Rocket Thrower, designed by Donald De Lue, was installed in 1964 in Flushing Meadow-Corona Park for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. In keeping with one of the central themes of that fair, space exploration, De Lue designed the Rocket Thrower as a heroic, 43-foot high figure hurling a rocket heavenward with his right hand, and reaching for a constellation of gilded stars with his left.

The Rocket Thrower was based on designs for the theme of “man conquering space,” which De Lue prepared in the late 1950s for the Union Carbide Building. In 1962, De Lue was issued a contract to make the Rocket Thrower, and given less than six months to execute the work at a cost of $105,000. By June 1963, the full plaster model was done and shipped to Italy, where casting at the Fonda Artista in Via Reggio took almost a year. The sculpture was installed just prior to the fair’s opening on April 22, 1964.

Though one of the largest and most prominent sculpture commissions in America in 50 years, the critical reception was mixed. De Lue envisioned the Rocket Thrower as “the spiritual concept of man’s relationship to space and his venturesome spirit backed up by all the powers of his intelligence for the exploration of a new dimension.” However, The New York Times art reviewer John Canaday found the piece “the most lamentable monster, making Walt Disney look like Leonardo Da Vinci.” Robert Moses, attempting to bolster the artist’s fragile ego, consoled De Lue by remarking, “this is the greatest compliment you could have…[Canaday] hates everything that is good...”

Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, often referred to as Flushing Meadow Park or Flushing Meadows Park, occupies 1,255 acres between the Van Wyck Expressway and the Grand Central Parkway, stretching from Flushing Bay to Union Turnpike. The site, originally known as the Corona Ash Dumps, was cleared by Parks Commissioner Robert Moses in preparation for the 1939-1940 World's Fair, and later used for the 1964-1965 World's Fair. The US Open tennis tournament takes place in Flushing Meadows Park at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and the New York Mets play their home games in Citi Field at the north end of the park. Shea Stadium, the Mets' previous home, once stood adjacent to Citi Field.

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Taken in: United States / New York / New York / Queens College (show map)

Taken on: June 4, 2006

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Sets appears in: • Queens: Flushing

Groups appears in: • fountains • NYC more » • Queens • Flickr New York • New York: Landmarks - the best of NY • NEW YORK CITY DEFINED • Flushing Meadow Park • New York World's Fair « less

Camera: Canon PowerShot S230, f/7.1, 1/160 sec, 5.4mm (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon PowerShot S230
Aperture:	f/7.1
Exposure Time:	0.006 sec (1/160)
Focal Length:	5.4mm
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
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