Thousand Oaks, California - $150,000 Copper Curtain

Do this one at 65 MPH. Adjacent to and overlooking Highway 101 in Thousand Oaks is a 50 feet by 60 feet Copper Curtain sculpture. Unveiled in 1994, the "curtain" is located on the 10 story Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center. The $150,000 sculpture was intended to represent a fluttering curtain, but the original design was changed by city officials who feared the 2,000 loose-hanging strips could distract, or worse, fly off during strong winds and hit nearby motorists. So the copper strips were secured to prevent movement turning architect Antoine Predock's art into what has been called by critics an over-sized air vent or a refrigerator grill. Catch this one while it lasts. The City of Thousand Oaks is making plans to revise the Copper Curtain. [MMaki, 08/27/2008]