Joseph O'Connell

And in art. We had spent so much time worrying about what would happen if there was a hurricane. I'm Stephen Dubner. This is Freakonomics Radio.

And in art. We had spent so much time worrying about what would happen if there was a hurricane. I'm Stephen Dubner. This is Freakonomics Radio.

And in art. We had spent so much time worrying about what would happen if there was a hurricane. I'm Stephen Dubner. This is Freakonomics Radio.

I had, as a child, a lot of connection to Thomas Edison. My grandfather had played with Edison's youngest son, and he was always bringing home lab notebooks and motors and gizmos, some of which had Edison's writings in the margins. This was in New Jersey, where O'Connell grew up. Of course, I never met Edison.

I had, as a child, a lot of connection to Thomas Edison. My grandfather had played with Edison's youngest son, and he was always bringing home lab notebooks and motors and gizmos, some of which had Edison's writings in the margins. This was in New Jersey, where O'Connell grew up. Of course, I never met Edison.

I had, as a child, a lot of connection to Thomas Edison. My grandfather had played with Edison's youngest son, and he was always bringing home lab notebooks and motors and gizmos, some of which had Edison's writings in the margins. This was in New Jersey, where O'Connell grew up. Of course, I never met Edison.

But the next best thing happened when I was in my early 20s and I started my studio creative machines, just myself. And just by happenstance, the landlord, the man whose building I was renting, had been Thomas Edison's last shop foreman. It was his job to direct the work every day and report back to Edison.

But the next best thing happened when I was in my early 20s and I started my studio creative machines, just myself. And just by happenstance, the landlord, the man whose building I was renting, had been Thomas Edison's last shop foreman. It was his job to direct the work every day and report back to Edison.

But the next best thing happened when I was in my early 20s and I started my studio creative machines, just myself. And just by happenstance, the landlord, the man whose building I was renting, had been Thomas Edison's last shop foreman. It was his job to direct the work every day and report back to Edison.

I had heard that phrase, I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways not to build the light bulb, and of course that led to the success.

I had heard that phrase, I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways not to build the light bulb, and of course that led to the success.

I had heard that phrase, I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways not to build the light bulb, and of course that led to the success.

We won the commission in the spring of 2016, and it had to be installed in downtown Houston in time for Super Bowl 51, which was February 2017. It was going to be what's, by some measures, the world's largest freestanding outdoor kinetic sculpture in an active fountain. And it all had to be done in a few months. Houston is a city of immigration and migration.

We won the commission in the spring of 2016, and it had to be installed in downtown Houston in time for Super Bowl 51, which was February 2017. It was going to be what's, by some measures, the world's largest freestanding outdoor kinetic sculpture in an active fountain. And it all had to be done in a few months. Houston is a city of immigration and migration.

We won the commission in the spring of 2016, and it had to be installed in downtown Houston in time for Super Bowl 51, which was February 2017. It was going to be what's, by some measures, the world's largest freestanding outdoor kinetic sculpture in an active fountain. And it all had to be done in a few months. Houston is a city of immigration and migration.

It's the number one city from which people coming from South and Central America get their first foothold in the United States. They have an economy that is welcoming. They have established communities. It's also an extremely welcoming city to bird migration. Houston and the Gulf of Mexico-Houston interface is where birds on the Central American Flyway stop after they've flown over the Gulf.

It's the number one city from which people coming from South and Central America get their first foothold in the United States. They have an economy that is welcoming. They have established communities. It's also an extremely welcoming city to bird migration. Houston and the Gulf of Mexico-Houston interface is where birds on the Central American Flyway stop after they've flown over the Gulf.

It's the number one city from which people coming from South and Central America get their first foothold in the United States. They have an economy that is welcoming. They have established communities. It's also an extremely welcoming city to bird migration. Houston and the Gulf of Mexico-Houston interface is where birds on the Central American Flyway stop after they've flown over the Gulf.

And so the concept for this art is to give tribute to when a bird or a human is in a difficult spot and doesn't have a place to land and rest. They just have to fly days and days without rest. So the idea was this giant set of wings that has this sine wave that moves through it along two axes and the wings are continuously beating over the fountain, wings over water, if you will.

And so the concept for this art is to give tribute to when a bird or a human is in a difficult spot and doesn't have a place to land and rest. They just have to fly days and days without rest. So the idea was this giant set of wings that has this sine wave that moves through it along two axes and the wings are continuously beating over the fountain, wings over water, if you will.