A proposed 21-foot-tall statue on Cry Baby Hill near Route 66 in Tulsa has sparked some backlash from residents, ranging from the figure itself to an out-of-state artist being selected for the project.
The statue is set to be built before Route 66’s centennial in 2026 on the hill at 815 S. Riverside Drive. That’s close to the historic 11th Street Bridge that carried Route 66 over the Arkansas River.
Cry Baby Hill is a legendary part of the annual Tulsa Tough bicycle festival, where often-costumed partiers cheer or taunt cyclists racing up the hill.
The Tulsa World reported that artist Ken Kelleher of New Hampshire and his “Cry Baby Cry” proposal — a 21-foot-tall crying baby wearing boots — was chosen for the $250,000 project paid by a voter-approved sales tax. It’s essentially a new twist on an old thing — Muffler Men.
A panel of city officials and representatives from neighborhoods, Tulsa Arts Commission, Route 66 Commission, Visit Tulsa and Tulsa Tough chose from 15 applicants.
Tulsa sculptor Chris Wollard was one of the critics of the selection.
“There’s been a kind of a general underlying turmoil building with local artists feeling marginalized and ignored by the powers that be here,” he said. “I think it just came to a head with this.”
Wollard added that as a Tulsan, the decision is further disappointing because Cry Baby Hill — a popular gathering place and party spot for the annual Tulsa Tough bike race — is a uniquely Tulsa phenomenon. Consequently, any project that commemorates it should involve a Tulsa artist who understands it, he said.
Tulsa resident Brandon Paul set up a Change.org petition opposing the Kelleher statue.
I am disheartened by the city’s decision to place Ken Kelleher’s sculpture, ‘Cry Baby Cry,’ at Cry Baby Hill without considering the views of local residents. Ken Kelleher, although reputed, is not a local artist, and many of us believe that his proposed art piece doesn’t reflect the spirit and culture of our community. […]
It’s important to note that although the City of Tulsa officials did do some community outreach, they did not do nearly enough outreach to seek meaningful feedback from community members before finalizing this decision. As per democratic values, and in the interest of maintaining harmony, city officials should be required to solicit and consider public opinion before making such major decisions.
As of Sunday morning, the petition had garnered more than 1,700 signatures.
Kelleher said many residents also described the sculpture as “an atrocity.”
Indeed, a perusal of Tulsans on Facebook found plenty who derided it for aesthetic reasons. One called it a “monstrosity” with a “hideous design.” Another accused the artist of using artificial intelligence to create it. Another described it as “a Big Boy with tears.”
One adroit commenter stated, however: “The moment you realize the Cry Baby Hill RFP was a performance art piece, and we are all part of the performance…”
The Cry Baby Hill account on Facebook initially derided the statue, then told readers to back off because they apparently were trolling or harassing the artist.
While some of the outrage may prompt city officials to issue future requests for proposals with a requirement the artist be local, I’m betting a few of the higher-ups are watching the furor with glee. The statue and Cry Baby Hill are getting more publicity than anyone ever dreamed.
I suspect this will end up much like the furor over the Amarillo minor-league baseball club naming its team the Sod Poodles a few years ago. Quite a few folks initially called the name an embarrassment.
But once the team took the field and the marketing opportunities of the name became apparent, the derision quickly disappeared.
In the coming years, Cry Baby Hill partiers will put hats, banners and perhaps unmentionables on the statue during future Tulsa Tough events. It will become a focal point of the race and a draw in its own right.
(Image of “Cry Baby Cry” statue via City of Tulsa)
I more proper looking mufflerman figure would have been my choice. This looks like a weird video game guy.