By now most residents of the Dallas / Fort Worth area are aware of
the giant, 35,000 lbs steel robot that towers over DART's Deep Ellum rail
station. Robot builders may also be aware of the robot from coverage in
Robot Magazine. Now, the rest of the world is taking notice because the
prominent art organization, Americans for the Arts, has
included the
Dallas Robot, known officially as Traveling Man, on its list of 40
Best Public Art Works in the US and Canada. Read on to learn more
about Traveling Man and see more photos of the big robot and little
chrome friends.So what's the story behind this giant robot? A combination of
opportunities and influences led to its creation. Dallas Area
Rapid Transit or DART as it's known locally, was expanding into the Deep
Ellum area with a new rail line and a Deep
Ellum rail station. Deep Ellum is the historic Dallas arts
district from which have come a long list of musical and visual artists.
The area is
also well known for its many public art pieces, many improvised in local
do-it-yourself fashion. Painters and sculpters often create art on the
exterior of their own or other buildings in the area.