In the early years of the Old Jail Art Center, co-founder Bill Bomar commissioned two outdoor granite sculptures for the museum by Texas artist Jesús Bautista Moroles—Moon Ring 3, 1982 (located at the northeast corner of the property) and Granite Sun, 1984 (located in the Marshall R. Young courtyard). While Granite Sun has always held a commanding presence in the sculpture courtyard, you may or may not remember that Moon Ring 3 once made an appearance at the White House.
In the fall of 1994, the White House initiated a series of three exhibitions titled Twentieth Century American Sculpture at the White House to be installed in the East Garden. The series was conceived by First Lady Hillary Clinton to showcase works drawn from public institutions across various regions of the United States. The third exhibition, highlighting works from museums in the Southwest and West, was organized and curated by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The OJAC’s Moon Ring 3 was among the eleven works selected for inclusion in this final exhibition, and installed in the First Ladies’ Garden, September 1995 - March 1996.
The OJAC was by far the smallest art museum represented at the White House, and Albany by far the smallest town. Yet, Moon Ring 3 was the only sculpture whose photograph was featured in the Washington Post’s coverage of the exhibit’s opening.
In the accompanying exhibition guide, Mrs. Clinton penned words that resonate today, “I hope this celebration of America’s creative spirit will enable each of us to gain a greater appreciation of the rich cultural traditions we share as a nation and as a people.”
Amy Kelly, registrar