‘El Rey’ Reigns Again: City College Relocates 14-Ton Statue

By John R. Adkins

After traveling 2,500 miles from Veracruz, Mexico, “El Rey” still had one last journey to make. Only this time, the move was across the street.

For 20 years, the 9-foot-high, 14-ton replica of an ancient Olmec head sat on a concrete collar in a City College of San Francisco courtyard. In February, the colossal artwork was shifted from the shade to its new home beside the college’s new state-of-the-art STEAM building.

The relocation of “El Rey” was the first of many sidelined treasures the college is taking out of storage to showcase in newly built facilities. “The Whales” statue is now set to be unveiled on the corner of Frida Kahlo Way and Ocean Avenue, and Dudley C. Carter's “The Ram” sculpture is dusted off and installed inside the new Student Success Center.

Moving the gargantuan sculpture was no small task. And its new home was, in part, selected due to its proximity to the forthcoming Diego Rivera Theater, which will showcase its namesake’s priceless fresco “Pan American Unity.”

In a city renowned for its public murals and Latin American art, “El Rey” has quietly reclaimed its throne in the public eye.

A Giant Gift

"El Rey" was carved by renowned Mexican sculptor Maestro Ignacio Perez Solano. It is a reproduction of the original piece unearthed in San Lorenzo, Mexico, also known as San Lorenzo #1. Archaeologists have speculated that the head represents an Olmec ruler, hence the name El Rey, which translates to "the King."

“El Rey” was given to the college in 2004 by then-Veracruz Gov. Miguel Alemán Velazco. It was unveiled at City College on Oct. 3, 2004, and both “il Maestro” Solano and Velazco attended the event.

After the piece was settled into its new home, Solano sharpened his chisels and etched his name and the dedication to the college into the backside of the Mexican basalt.

The quest to acquire the head was embarked upon by Harry S. Parker III. The former director of the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums had traveled to Veracruz in 2004 with the desire to borrow an original Olmec head to be displayed somewhere in the city.

“The new De Young museum was going to be his swan song,” explained Will Maynez, who had personally picked up Solano from the airport back in ‘04. “The Governor of Veracruz offered Parker a replica of one of their Olmec heads, who then extended the offer to City College.”

Maynez is a Diego Rivera mural historian and taught physics at City College for 33 years.

The Monumental Move

The college hired Atthowe Fine Art Services, an employee-owned co-op, to work in conjunction with Sheedy Crane Company for both the relocation and the initial installation of El Rey back in 2004.

It was 6 a.m. on Valentine’s Day when Atthowe’s staff wrapped the stone sculpture in protective pads. Riggers spent hours preparing “El Rey” to be harnessed so a crane could lift it onto a flatbed truck.

Atthowe’s project manager, David Martin, said he had been thinking about relocating the Olmec head for the last two years.

The following Tuesday, Atthowe returned to bore a five-inch hole in the bottom of the head to fit a post that could then pin the sculpture onto its new pedestal beside the STEAM building.

“A lot of things could go wrong in an operation like this. We thought we could be here all night, but it actually went really smoothly,” said Atthowe crew member Benaiah Seilen.

One week later, Atthowe completed the move with a drive across the street and another hoist with the crane before leaving it for conservators to ensure the integrity of the art was maintained throughout the move.

Head rigger Esteban Granados said that great care was taken to prevent impressions in the sculpture caused by the weight of the stone rubbing against the harness.

“These guys could move the Bay Bridge, but when it comes to art, it’s important that everyone understands the touch is different, the approach, the experience, the knowledge, all of that,” Granados said.

Now that “El Rey” is home, Frida Kahlo Way is shaping into a literal path through Mexican-American culture in the city.

City College Police Officer Don Quintana was there to witness when “El Rey” was first unveiled on City College grounds. 

“To actually have an Olmec head here at City College, that’s pretty incredible,” Quintana said.