Giant Red Arrow

The giant red arrow in the Whole Foods parking lot is a perfect symbol for how different Albuquerque is.
Why is it there? No ones really sure how it «landed up there». I’ve heard it was part of an old hardware store that existed before Whole Foods. Or maybe it just fell form the sky there? We might never know.
Nonetheless, it’s a symbol everyone knows in Albuquerque. Growing up, I remember my grandfather’s house was a few blocks away, so I always knew when we were close to seeking grandpa!
Today, I think of it fondly because it’s unique and random. Albuquerque is a unique and random place, so it totally fits. Keep on impressing and making people question you, giant red arrow.

Lawn darts for giants maybe? Anyone remember that awesome game? The PC police and «Safety» advocates have ruined everything that’s good and wholesome dang it! Nevertheless, I think it’s kinda cool, not as cool as giant Paul Bunyans mind you, but still kinda cool.

Orienting when I was a newcomer and putting the city together in my head map.

It’s a wonderful arrow — tall and red. It’s slanted too. :)
It’s on the corner of Carlisle and Indian School Road in the Whole Foods parking lot. I love it a lot! :)

1000 check-​ins at the GIANT RED ARROW!!! I am the king of the arrow forever!!!
WOO HOO!!!
I have come to love the Giant Red Arrow for more than just its quirkiness and awesomeness. It has become a bonding thing for me with other people. It’s a really strange and random piece of art that has come to mean something personal to me. Yesterday I hit 1000 checkins at the GRA and had a little Unilocal party. I set up a UYE and friends came to celebrate with me. How awesome and weird is that???
The arrow is representative of everything good and fun in ABQ and on Unilocal.Out of nothing came a shared love of something, and happiness and friendship followed and were cemented.
Love this arrow…

As promised, the is a big, shiny, red arrow in the parking lot of the Whole Foods
A good landmark to remember where to turn left!

It’s an arrow, it’s GIANT & red! Some say it’s from ancient mythological dragon hunters. The dragons once lived in the volcanos west of town they would soar from the mountains to the Malpais. The ancient Native hunters used the crest for a perch to launch their giant arrows! This red arrow is the result of a rare missed shot. The leader of the hunters had this arrow left in the ground to show his dissatisfaction for centuries to come.

Aliens put this here. They will be back to get it.

Many years ago, Giants roamed this land called New Mexico. They were fabulous Giants, with lots of style and a wicked sense of humor. They also loved the color red. Loved it! They liked to hunt, but they had some trouble with that when they came to this area. The local elks didn’t appreciate being shot at. The first time the Giants hunted elk was the last, because those fierce quadrupeds showed up on their Harley’s and opened a can of serious whoop ass on the Giant village, which was located in what we now call the city of Albuquerque. After that, the Giants said screw this, planted one of their big red arrows in the earth as a warning to others that psycho elks lived nearby, and wandered off to find a more hospitable place to live. And that, children, is the story of the Giant Red Arrow.

I wonder how that arrow landed up there.

I gave it 4 stars because a random giant arrow is awesome! Plus I like whole foods :)

I love landmarks like this in Albuquerque, used to live just behind Whole Foods so it was really easy to help people find their way. For this I give you 5 stars oh great red arrow!

Love for the Giant Red Arrow.
My love for it is almost as large as the Giant Red Arrow itself.
I don’t know the history of this arrow, but it makes me smile every time I go by it. The compulsion to stop and get out and touch or photograph it, is strong. Clearly, others feel the same way, judging from all the photos of it posted just on Unilocal.
Clearly, it’s been around a long time, I’m thinkin’ it’s from the 1950s. It feels like it was once a part of a local business, but long gone. It doesn’t fit with Whole Foods, but when I first moved here, it helped me find my way to Whole Foods.
And after reading Lyssa D.‘s review, I see that this Giant Red Arrow has been around at least since the early 1980s and there was a Fast Photo store here. She also says the Giant Red Arrow was one of possibly three pieces of sculpture in ABQ. At the time, this may have been really exciting for ABQ, but as sculpture goes, it’s not very exciting. However, it does fit loosely within the work of Swedish sculptor Claes Oldenburg. He has his own giant red arrow, though it’s with a bow, and the overall piece is called, «Cupid’s Span.»
All the same, I love this Giant Red Arrow. It harkens back to a much simpler time.

I seriously love that red arrow. One of my friends told me that the family story was the arrow pointed to the center of Albuquerque. Pretty sure that’s not the case given that its on Indian School. Regardless, I live near it and it makes my life easier when I have to give directions. I would love nothing more than more landmarks like the red arrow. Huzzah!

Needs more color.

I’ve decided to throw my hat in the ring, and give my vast opinion about the Giant Red Arrow. When I first moved to ABQ, it was one of the maybe 3 pieces of sculpture (loose term in retrospect) but still, ABQ wasn’t a very interesting artistic place in the early 80’s. Also, maybe some remember, but the big red arrow pointed at a Fast Photo drive up film developing store. Does anyone remember film? It the long roll of cellophane than you would put in a camera, capture images you had no clue how they would look (tongue in cheek), You had to take this film somewhere to develop, because only really cool people had their own darkroom, and you needed a place like Fast Photo, or else you would just have a bunch of canisters in your purse, drawer, box, etc.
Side note: I just found 3 of these said canisters, and I’m sorely missing Fast Photo…
Back to our regularly scheduled programming…
Anyway, I think the Giant Red Arrow is less about a beautiful statement or artistic interest, it was never meant to be anything more than an sign to «come here to shop, we have amazing stores, to include a Fast Photo!» and so it’s intrinsic beauty comes from nostalgia. All those old ways, like film, that we are losing with our quickly evolving culture.
Side note two: I really love digital, so I probably won’t miss Fast Photo, past this review.
But, I’ll always have the Giant Red Arrow to mark the spot where a long, long, long time ago I began my love of photography.
*extra star for my memories
Anyone ready to talk about the Bowling Pin Staples Sign on Menaul? :-)

Sorry Howie, I have to agree with Kendall! As a new burqueño, this arrow helps me find my way home! It’s also great landmark for when I give directions. It’s weird and out of place, but doesn’t that make it so appropriate for ABQ?

Meh. I’ve definitely experienced better than the Giant Red Arrow. But it must be Unilocaled.
So, what was the thinking on this one?
Boss Hogg: «So I got my eye on this here plot o’ land in Albuquerque, Rosco, and I’m thinkin’ a callin’ it Indian Center. You got any ideas on how we could make the place look Indian?»
Rosco: «Aw gee, Boss, I don’t rightly have no i-​dea. How’s about stickin’ one a them Indians there. On a horse or somethin’.»
Boss Hogg: «Just put an Indian there? On a horse?»
Rosco: «Uh… Yep.»
Boss Hogg: «So he can just sit there.»
Rosco: «Right.»
Boss Hogg: «How’s he gonna eat, or take a leak?»
Rosco: «Well heck, Boss, ya didn’t ask me that. Ya got it all complicated, now. Aw shucks. I thought that was a good idea.»
Boss Hogg: «Gimme another one.»
Rosco: «Well let me think now, little fat buddy… Remember when we was kids? We used to run all over the yard playin’ Cowboys ‘n Indians. I was always the Cowboy, that’s why I became a Sheriff when I grew up, ya know. And you, you used to holler and yip and jump around like a wild animal with yer bow and arrow. Those were the days, boss. I can see you now, all fat and happy with yer giant red arrow. Yep. That giant red arrow… Hey boss, did ya see that?»
Boss Hogg: «See what?»
Rosco: «It’s them boys again, they just drove past us. I gotta go git ‘em!»