Tau Ceti is the tallest work of public art in Austin
Tau Ceti stands 103 feet tall and is a mural you have to see in person to truly experience it, day or night, as the perceived spectrum changes with the light around it. The gradient color spectrum covers 3,811 square feet of the parking structure at the corner of Second and Brazos streets has become one of the cities most popular murals and must-see landmarks in Austin since its completion in November of 2018. When you get up close it has been known to give feelings of vertigo and dizziness due so be sure to hold on to friend!
During certain times of the day the light reflected off the nearby buildings adds a spectacular effect to the mural giving it an otherworldly glow. It is a rare sight to see as the effect only last a few minutes at a time but it is worth the wait.
When taking a picture with your smartphone put it in panorama mode and turn your phone horizontally before taking the picture. This allows you to start at the bottom and pan up so you can capture the entire mural!
When you first look at the mural would you believe it was painted entirely by hand? Austin artist Josef Krostofoletti, who is originally from Nagyvarad, Transylvania, created Tau Ceti while suspended by ropes on a scaffold and painted the entire mural by hand from top to bottom with vinyl acrylic paint on concrete. The mural's title comes from a star of the same name in the constellation Cetus (you pronounce it see-tus so that way if you want to show off your new found knowledge you won't have someone correcting you) that has spectrum similar to our own sun.
“[I used] a color spectrum because, conceptually, it references unity and diversity,” says Austin artist Josef Kristofoletti of his mural Tau Ceti, “All the colors come from one source and, together, create a complete spectrum of hues.”
Tau Ceti was commissioned by City of Austin’s Cultural Arts Division of the Economic Development Department for $76,000 and was created in November of 2018 for the Art in Public Places Program.
