Anonymous artist transforms sculpture for third consecutive Halloween
HAMILTON, Ohio (WXIX) - Tri-State residents will notice the “First Ride” statue outside of the Fitton Center for Creative Arts looks a little different on Tuesday after the sculpture was revamped once again this Halloween.
For the third time in a row, the statue was dressed up in a new costume, and this year it was covered head-to-toe in chicken wire and green paper mâché to resemble an alien.
“I am you, you are me, we are all here together” is painted on the alien’s chest as a spin-off from the Beatles hit song, “I Am the Walrus.”
While the artwork may have the lyric slightly wrong, the sentiment is still there.
“It was really cold out overnight, but this kind of warms the heart,” Ian MacKenzie-Thurley, Fitton Center Executive Director, said in a press release. “After amazing transformations the last couple of years, I didn’t know if our ninja artists would be back for another try, especially since temperatures got below freezing.”
According to the Fitton Center, the statue was redecorated in 2021 to resemble Stephen King’s “IT,” and last year it was transformed into Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.”
“This is a great way to start off our Halloween. A lot of our staff dress up for the day, so why not some of our artwork, too?” MacKenzie-Thurley said.
While the identity of the artist(s) remains anonymous, the Fitton Center says they will not be “looking too hard” at security footage.
“We love that people are interacting with the sculpture. It obviously resonates with them,” the executive director said. “They are having a good time, adding to the community conversation. Whoever is responsible, thank you. As long as there’s no damage to the piece, we’re happy to enjoy your work. It’s good fun.”
People can find the First Ride statue on the east side of the Fitton Center building at 1010 S. Monument Ave. in Hamilton.
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