Skip to main content

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Advanced Search
The Austin Wall by Clifford Ross
Photo CreditCasey Dunn
The Austin Wall
Photo CreditCasey Dunn

The Austin Wall

Artist
Year2012
Classification architectural arts
Medium stained glass
Dimensions336 x 348 in. (853.4 x 883.9 cm)
Credits Commissioned through the Art in Architecture Program
Fine Arts Collection
U.S. General Services Administration
Location
  • The imagery of the Austin area landscape and its rugged hills punctuated by man-made features, limestone outcroppings and native Texas trees, led multimedia artist Clifford Ross to use his unique photographic techniques to create a contemporary version of centuries-old stained glass fabricated by Franz Mayer of Munich.  In order to echo the traditional values inherent in the judicial processes of the courthouse, as well as embrace the modern world we live in (exemplified by the architecture itself), Ross deploys a realistic rendering of Austin’s Hill Country as the foundation for his exuberant abstract vision of nature. The image of the two roads, one straight and one curved, suggest a simple metaphor for the choices we must all make in our daily lives.  This image, which comprises the lower portion of the artwork, is in actuality two massive glass wall panels that can be opened for public events.  It was the artist’s goal to create a civic monument that would simultaneously celebrate the work of the United States District Court, the dynamic city of Austin, and the stunningly beautiful Hill Country of Texas.