Giganticus Headicus
Walapai, Arizona
Just when we had convinced ourselves that nothing new was being built along Route 66 that didn't leech off of the reputation of Route 66, we came upon this thing.
"Giganticus Headicus" is its name, a half-buried, 14-foot-tall pseudo-tiki sculpted of metal, wood, chicken wire, styrofoam and cement, created in 2004 by Gregg Arnold, a migrant from New Jersey. It stands outside what was once the Kozy Corner Trailer Court. Arnold is remodeling the A-frame next door, the one with the giant robotic ants crawling up its outside wall.
Other artworks on the property include a plywood sign shaped like a rocket ship, a windmill that uses 1950s furniture for blades, a painting of an astronaut with a cut-out hole for your face (apparently a retired photo op), and a pit filled with "baby rattlers" -- rattles for babies.
Arnold claims to have other art projects in the works, and hopes some day to turn the A-frame into a gift shop selling miniatures of Giganticus Headicus. He wasn't around when we stopped by; maybe he was down in Kingman buying more art supplies. We sure hope so.
