r/oddlysatisfying • u/ThodaDaruVichPyar • 1d ago

This Owl statue in an Austin neighbourhood

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Credit to Colby Waller

Name: Kempelen's Owls

Location: Outside the Austin Proper Hotel at 600 West 2nd Street in downtown Austin right at the corner of West 2nd Street and Nueces Street.

Created by New American Public Art, the statues are inspired by the Texas Great Horned Owl and 18th-century robotics. Their eyes also light up at night.

Source

28.9k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

169 comments sorted by

1.7k

u/McKeviin šŸ¤” 1d ago

Imagine not telling people you can do that and the statue keeps changing

208

u/ThodaDaruVichPyar 1d ago

Some real r/blackmagicfuckery going on šŸ¤Æ

33

u/regoapps 1d ago

Attach a fishing line to the turning mechanism and pull on it as people walk by so it looks like the owl is watching them

2

u/QuietRider4 5h ago

Bonus points if you also rig the eyes to flicker right as they walk under it

7

u/2ChicksAtTheSameTime 1d ago

There is (was) a statue in San Franciso that has a fireframe man; and he occasionally kneels. It's based on the pressure from somoeone sitting in a specific spot on one of the nearby benches.

94

u/GottlobFrege 1d ago

Let's destroy statues of white men like Washington and Jefferson who owned slaves and replace them with statues like this.

11

u/PhthaloVonLangborste 1d ago

I thought it was cock and balls at first. I think that would be an improvement.

3

u/donut-reply 1d ago

Especially considering that the current subjects of the statues are also massive dicks

2

u/Catnip_Farmer 23h ago

Wasn't the statue of Abraham Lincoln, the man who freed slaves, toppled by Portlanders in 2020?

2

u/printergumlight 17h ago

It was toppled by 200 people rioting on Indigenous People's Day "Day of Rage Protest".

Not really reflective of the population.

0

u/[deleted] 17h ago

[deleted]

1

u/printergumlight 17h ago

I didnā€™t say it was improved. Iā€™m saying it tarnished the reputation of many people who werenā€™t involved and didnā€™t approve.

-15

u/GottlobFrege 22h ago

Doesn't matter, he was still a powerful privileged white man

0

u/Catnip_Farmer 21h ago

Can you explain the privilege this melanin shortage supposedly confers?

5

u/Haecceitic 1d ago

ā€¦ because it wouldnā€™t be obvious at all while you are torque-ing it on the bottom.

6

u/firesuppagent 1d ago

Just have a friend on the opposite side do it (with a grease gun, it sounds like those bearings need some).

3

u/McKeviin šŸ¤” 1d ago

Because it wasn't obvious (to you) that I meant from day to day. Not that it changes while you're standing there.

1

u/Big-Possibility7558 1d ago

bro discovered stealth mode irl and used it exclusively to rearrange a garden owl, hero behavior

1

u/McKeviin šŸ¤” 1d ago

Herowl

1

u/LucyOwlet25 16h ago

Herowl indeed

1

u/Basic-Art-9861 7h ago

Flock Camera

353

u/CankerLord 1d ago

First glance, I thought she was scooting her ass on it like a dog and the owl was noticing.

54

u/Thundercatsago 1d ago

Same. I was like what is wrong with this person lol

10

u/Light_Beard 21h ago

Owl: "No! HOOT not SCOOT!"

13

u/TheLastPeanut_ 1d ago

I don't understand why she is turning it in a sitting position like that lol it looks so awkward/inefficient

1

u/RedTomatoSauce 12h ago

or it could have worked with a sound direction detector like in real life, they turn the head toward where the noise is coming from

1

u/SistaChans 22h ago

Owl was all "o rly?"Ā 

343

u/Your_Cat_In_Disguise 1d ago

Imagine just being a stoned tourist and seeing this without any prior context or info.

Lmao it would scare me so bad I'd probably quit pot.

25

u/StuBidasol 1d ago

Or being on the other side of the statue from the person moving the head.

5

u/Your_Cat_In_Disguise 23h ago

HAHAHA and just quietly hoot every time it moves

1

u/StuBidasol 19h ago

Damn I love the mental image of that. Lol

0

u/Your_Cat_In_Disguise 17h ago

Just some dude gently tickling the censor on the other side and hootingšŸ¤£

17

u/Comfortable-Yak-6599 1d ago

Last time I went to Austin there was a guy playing a rubber chicken in protest of the church if scientology. A head turning statue won't even be the weirdest thing you'll see in Austin during the day, let alone at night

1

u/mudkripple 22h ago

I was on shrooms when I discovered that Dallas has a gigantic eyeball so that was fun

2

u/Your_Cat_In_Disguise 21h ago

What a nightmare lmao

2

u/mudkripple 21h ago

Honestly less of a nightmare than the Dallas Aquarium. That place was utterly heartbreaking on psychedelics. So many sad animals.

The eyeball was pretty nuts tho lol

30

u/smohyee 1d ago

Clever interactive art. I like.

28

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

12

u/martyqscriblerus 1d ago

Flashbacks of button mashing to get through that and accidentally pushing one too many times so it closes out and then starts over again

118

u/Raven019 1d ago

I wouldn't say Austin downtown is a 'neighbourhood'

30

u/bossDocHolliday 1d ago

Unless you're talking about the Applebee's, cause then we're eatin good in the neighborhood

49

u/Srnkanator 1d ago

It's the Chili's at 45th and Lamar. Frosty margs and skillet queso.

4

u/themicrodose 1d ago

Rumor in the sheets is that they also have glory holes there.

4

u/Lost_Osos 1d ago

that's the thing! is it still a thing. I loved Central Market though.

0

u/slut4chilis 15h ago

I'm there most nights in the men's room stall on the left. Anything you want except kissing for 15 minutes. Costs a dip trio and a presidente margarita.

https://giphy.com/gifs/VCtSqLw2qSPnvvHUce

0

u/Lost_Osos 1d ago

is the frosty margs at what's it called still a thing? I haven't been there in a long time.

8

u/_jamesbaxter 1d ago

lol I came looking for this comment. Thatā€™s clearly downtown and Iā€™ve only ever been there for two days.

10

u/LezzGrossman 1d ago

The most pretentious of spots in Austin (which is saying something downtown). Not a neighborhood by any definition.

5

u/Lost_Osos 1d ago

oh I came to type this too but did not read yours. co-sign.

4

u/ratchetpony 1d ago

Out of curiosity, do people live in downtown Austin or is it completely commercial and industrial?

13

u/sipsyrup 1d ago

there are lots of high rise condos downtown. it's not as dense as manhattan, but it's a neighborhood

5

u/ratchetpony 1d ago

That was my assumption, but the poster above said it wasn't a neighborhood, which felt wrong if people live there. Downtowns are neighborhoods too.

2

u/beazersleazer 20h ago

a district? sure

a neighbourhood? nope

2

u/somethink 1d ago

Maybe like 15 yrs ago, closing thing to a house now is the ones that got converted into bars

2

u/InsultingFerret 1d ago

even most of those have been replaced by high-rises by now

1

u/Purplegummybear 1d ago

My thoughts exactly.

1

u/ElminstersBedpan 1d ago

Oh, it is a neighborhood, just one I can't stand being in for very long. Gimme Allandale or Skyview, something near 2222.

13

u/Deathwatchz 1d ago

Next-gen flock camera

15

u/Ima_Red 1d ago

r/oddlyterrifying

3

u/Ethanop1a 1d ago

r/mildlypenis

0

u/the_snook 23h ago

That appears to be a recurring problem with owl statues.

I'm Australia we have a famous Penis Owl

8

u/Megi1995 1d ago

I thought this was a challenged person

6

u/Chewcocca 21h ago

It's 2026 ain't we all

1

u/lysergic_818 39m ago

These challenges come in challenging times. šŸ˜¢

9

u/Tunavi 22h ago

i live here, i had no idea it moved

7

u/carcigenicate 1d ago

Oddly, it looks like there's a delay between the rotation of the disk and the head. Am I crazy?

6

u/TheJuicyGinger 1d ago

I was wondering the same thing. Strange because if it was a mechanical setup then it would move instantly when she moves it. Maybe something with magnets? Nobody knows how they work so that's my best guess.

1

u/carcigenicate 1d ago

My guesses were a rubber belt driving it (which seems like a bad idea), or wireless communication is being used for some weird reason which introduces a delay.

I can't think of a good explanation.

2

u/MrBobbet 21h ago

Its probably just backlash in whatever mechanism is being used.

1

u/Rubyhamster 16h ago

Maybe delay gear mechanism to make it more creepy on purpose?

4

u/kirmm3la 18h ago

Did you know that owls doesnā€™t have the ability to move their eyeballs? Thatā€™s why the move their heads at crazy degrees instead.

1

u/RolliFingers 10h ago

They thought they were being clever designing the eyes like that. It makes it look off.

5

u/oopsie-mybad 1d ago

Is that not a pee-pee at the beginning

7

u/uumopapsidn 1d ago

I thought she was vandalizing it by scratching it for some reason. That was kinda creepy when I noticed the head move

6

u/21MayDay21 1d ago

Okay, no more drinks for today

3

u/ThodaDaruVichPyar 1d ago

Iā€™m actually disappointed no one has posted the owlturninghead gif yetĀ 

3

u/Beleiverofhumanity 1d ago

Thats amazing, esp with the eyes looking at you

3

u/Oh_No_Its_Dudder 1d ago

Now that's cool.

3

u/W0lf_G1rl_BR 23h ago

r/oddlyterrifying too, this gave me fucking chills

3

u/Possible-Isopod-1901 23h ago

ā€œLetā€™s go mess with the crackheads.ā€

3

u/Historical_Log2471 16h ago

I showed an Egyptian guy in my neighborhood a bobblehead I had and he grimaced and told me to put it away, because it was an idol. I can only imagine how he would react to this.

4

u/VelvetSextant 1d ago

lowkey creepy at night when the eyes glow though!

2

u/Wooden-Evidence-374 1d ago

Fun fact, owls cant move their eyes like most animals. Their eyes are not spherical, they are cylindrical. So the only way they can look around is by turning their whole head

2

u/lferry1919 1d ago

I was so confused why you put up a video of you using a public bench to scratch your ass...then I realized what was actually happening.

2

u/Strayhousecat 23h ago

So this is where the resident evil puzzles come from.

2

u/vonfanaustin 16h ago

I live in Austin and have never seen this!

2

u/dumdumstats 15h ago

That's so cool

2

u/NaCl_Sailor 9h ago

cool statue, but i have a little issue with it, owls can't move their eyes, owl eyes are cylindrical and fixed in their skulls, that's why they have these flexible necks.

it's a trade off to see this well in the dark.

3

u/Kurtulu 9h ago

Oh is this not mildypenis sub

2

u/Pippi-ki-yay 20h ago

I thought the person had Parkinson's or some other degenerative condition at first.

2

u/isaidicanshout_ 1d ago

Nobodyā€™s gonna say it?

1

u/SomeSamples 1d ago

That's cool.

1

u/Due_Potential_6956 1d ago

It's looking at me.

1

u/Lost_Osos 1d ago

I wouldn't call that a neighborhood.

1

u/archiangel 1d ago

I thought this was the unofficial Rice alum FB page lol

1

u/Lyaid 1d ago

That would freak me right out

1

u/BenAdaephonDelat 1d ago

Would be cool to have a clock version. Where the head turns from left to right over the hour, and on the hour it smoothly rotates back to the start and does a "Whooo" for each hour it is.

1

u/Nyarro 1d ago

Oh this is so cool! I should go visit it then!

1

u/HumbleDSSaster 1d ago

That is cool as hell. Good job to whoever made it

1

u/No_Transition9445 1d ago

easy there Michael J

1

u/hevvypiano 1d ago

Aw man, I worked downtown for 12 years and never knew this. Walked by many times when I lived in Austin.

1

u/eekbah 1d ago

I do not stick my hand underneath seats or tables or any kind of ledge like that in public.

1

u/Khorm 1d ago

Meanwhile Sweden's government spends about 1.5 million SEK of taxpayer money on this

more info in swedish no idea why you would want it but

1

u/peglegpoachedegg 1d ago

There's no such thing as the Texas Great Horned Owl.

1

u/RevWaldo 1d ago

Would love an owl statuette that turns its head in response to motion.

2

u/Seated_WallFly 23h ago

Me too. I love this. It reminds me how cool owls really are.

1

u/bezosdrone 1d ago

The owl is not what it seems.

1

u/poopyshitballz 1d ago

I bet the grackles give this guy a wide berth.

1

u/Guildenpants 1d ago

Fucking A, growing up in Austin my dad told me not to trust all the owl shit. That is related to the scary tech/politics blood orgy shit or whatever that happens at Bohemian Grove.

I never really believed him but it makes me not love how many owl things around Austin there continue to be.

1

u/Glad_Cover_1282 1d ago

How many licks did it take?

1

u/Cilantro_Frog321 1d ago

The eyes!!!!! šŸ‘€

1

u/FoxTrot0014 23h ago

Creepy eyes lol. Thats not even how the eyes of an owl work, ironically

Really cool tho

1

u/Original_Ad_3481 23h ago

Iā€™ve walked by that 100 times and never knew it could do that!

1

u/NickodemusJarmyia56 23h ago

Owl of me is so fascinated. The owl is one of my favorite birds.

1

u/Excellent_Sweet7270 23h ago

wow so cool...

1

u/Dregg92 23h ago

I was around when they were built. Iā€™ve been around those things many times. I never knew they could do that.

1

u/fizzyfawr 23h ago

The scale of this next to a person is wild, that owl is judging the entire skyline.

1

u/hollow4hollow 23h ago

That owl is not what it seems

1

u/ithilmor 22h ago

r/3Dprinting someone make STL stat

1

u/ConfusedPanda76 22h ago

Who did that?

1

u/GameasauresRex 22h ago

the head rotation is giving major duolingo owl vibes, like it's about to demand spanish lessons from pedestrians

1

u/anon-austin 22h ago

Fun fact the eyes of the owl "follow" you as you are walking. There's also another one across the street.

1

u/decreessandy7n 21h ago

Wow great engineering

1

u/IlIlllIlllIlIIllI 21h ago

owl eyes can't actually move like that which is why their heads move around so much

1

u/OneSheepherder746 20h ago

Wow! It really does this?

1

u/Sub_par_sandwich 20h ago

I donā€™t like that

1

u/maganaise 20h ago

Alex Jones would say it was Moloch related.

1

u/halite001 17h ago

What in the Flock Camera is this?

1

u/VoxulusQuarUn 10h ago

That's very fun!

1

u/Tuttledotspace 8h ago

Imagine walking past this every day and never knowing which owl you're gonna get.

1

u/ForgetfulSlug 7h ago

These things are so creepy, especially when you look up and find it staring straight at you.

1

u/_intothev0id 1d ago

All I can think of is bohemian groveā€¦ šŸ˜…

0

u/ThorsNail 1d ago

I did not see an owl at first....

0

u/Th4t0n3dud3 1d ago

With how hateful and narrow minded Texas is im always surprised to see any type of art installation.

0

u/texast999 1d ago

The irony of this comment

0

u/EquityDoesntRoll 1d ago

I walk by this thing everyday and I never knew you could turn the owl head like that šŸ¤Æ

0

u/Bulky_Kangaroo6248 1d ago

Que buwna escultura! šŸ¤Æ šŸ˜A amĆ©

0

u/Fadysporz 1d ago

but is it cake?

0

u/CaTz_EyE 16h ago

There are actually two of them by the bridge. I believe it looks like the eyes follow you too. There is a creek by it thatā€™s full of turtles. I recorded this back in April. I took pictures of the owls, but I canā€™t share pictures.

https://reddit.com/link/p74hk4j/video/cgxx9wgdgumh1/player

0

u/zipeto 15h ago

How does the owl statue keeps changing like real one?? Is it automatic or controlling by human???

0

u/samuelandsienna 11h ago

Cute šŸ„¹

0

u/sasssyrup 8h ago

Hoo hooo made this?

-1

u/Meesaneedpills 1d ago

Dick n balls

-1

u/hipnosister 1d ago

HOW is this oddly satisfying??!?

-2

u/No_Wishbone_1618 1d ago

Disgusting