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Rocket Thrower

History

This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found postedwithin the park.

What is this monument dedicated to?
The Rocket Thrower is a massive bronze sculpture designed by Donald De Lue (1897–1988) for the New York World’s Fair of 1964-65. The work is in keeping with one of the central themes of that fair—space exploration—and complements several other significant features in the park, such as the Court of Astronauts, Fountain of the Planets, Space Park and the Unisphere.

How was this created?
In 1961, The New York World’s Fair Corporation, under the direction of former Parks Commissioner Robert Moses (1888–1981), established a Committee on Sculpture to select artists whose work ranged “from contemporary conservative to the more conservative avant-garde.”

The committee arrived at a short list of ten recommended modernist sculptors, many of whom displeased Moses and the fair’s chief designer Gilmore Clarke, whose tastes were more traditional. Ultimately, five sculptors—including Paul Manship, Marshall Fredericks, Theodore Roszak, Jose de Rivera, and De Lue—were commissioned to create pieces which would outlast the fair in the park. De Lue, a late entry for consideration, had approached Moses independently of the committee’s review procedure.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, De Lue apprenticed under British sculptor Bryant Baker (1881-1970) at his New York studio, and later studied art in England and France. A recipient of sculpture awards from the Architectural League, the National Sculpture Society and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, De Lue created numerous public monuments across the United States.

He designed the Rocket Thrower as a heroic, 43-foot high bronze figure hurling a rocket heavenward with his right hand, and reaching for a constellation of gilded stars with his left. This version was based on designs for the theme of “man conquering space,” which De Lue prepared in the late 1950s for the Union Carbide Building at 270 Park Avenue.

In 1962, De Lue was issued a contract to make the Rocket Thrower and given less than six months to model the work. By June 1963, the full plaster model was done and shipped to Italy, where casting at the Fonda Artista in Via Reggio took almost a year. The sculpture was installed just prior to the fair’s opening on April 22, 1964.

Though one of the largest and most prominent sculpture commissions in America in 50 years, the critical reception was decidedly mixed. De Lue envisioned the Rocket Thrower as “the spiritual concept of man’s relationship to space and his venturesome spirit backed up by all the powers of his intelligence for the exploration of a new dimension.” However, The New York Times art reviewer John Canaday found the piece “the most lamentable monster, making Walt Disney look like Leonardo Da Vinci.” Robert Moses, attempting to bolster the artist’s fragile ego, consoled De Lue by remarking, “this is the greatest compliment you could have…[Canaday] hates everything that is good . . .”

Despite the critical response at the outset, the statue remains a fixture decades later in the park. Over time, it suffered from environmental corrosion and structural instability. An emergency repair was made to one arm in 1989, and in 2013 the sculpture was fully conserved through Adopt-A-Monument, a joint venture of the Municipal Art Society, NYC Parks and the Public Design Commission.

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Rocket Thrower Details

  • Location: East of Unisphere, Hall of Astronauts
  • Sculptor: Donald De Lue
  • Description: Figure statue, heroic scale
  • Materials: Bronze
  • Dimensions: H: 42 ½'h (to grade)
  • Foundry: Fonda Artista (Original); Modern Art Foundry, 1989 repair
  • Donor: 1964 Worlds Fair

Please note, the NAME field includes a primary designation as well as alternate namingsoften in common or popular usage. The DEDICATED field refers to the most recent dedication, most often, butnot necessarily the original dedication date. If the monument did not have a formal dedication, the yearlisted reflects the date of installation.

For more information, please contact Art & Antiquities at (212) 360-8163

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Marinas
World's Fair Marina
Due to a major planned reconstruction project, Pier 1 at the World's Fair Marina is currently closed. Limited transient dockage is available for smaller recreational vessels - please contact the Dockmasters office at 718-478-0480 or VHF Ch71 for more information. There is no dockage available for larger vessels or commercial vessels, including passenger pick-up and drop-off. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please check back with the World's Fair Marina in the future for updates.

Contacts

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