Entry No. 53 — the Oklahoma City file — filed under: outdoor
Hazmatt Sculpture
Tucked behind the chain-link fence of Norman's Household Hazardous Waste Facility, a 20-foot reclining figure made almost entirely from the city's own retired dumpsters stares peacefully at the Oklahoma sky, one enormous hand cradling a single wildflower. Norman artist Kenneth Eugene Hall Jr. (with collaborator Derek Vosten and the city's sustainability team) spent years welding decommissioned city bins into "Hazmatt" — a gentle giant whose name is a pun on the hazmat site it calls home. The whole thing cost just over $14,000 scraped from leftover construction funds, was assembled partly on a city maintenance lot, and was unveiled January 13, 2026 to a ribbon-cutting crowd at a place most people only visit to drop off old paint. None of Norman's major tourism guides have noticed it yet — because who goes looking for art at the hazardous-waste drop-off?
The story
You drive down Chautauqua Avenue south of Highway 9 expecting the grim utility of a municipal yard, but behind the chain-link fence at Norman’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility sits a 20-foot titan resting on the grass. When the city wound up with roughly $14,000 in leftover facility construction funds, they didn't dump it back into an administrative void. Instead, local artists Ken Hall Jr. and Derek Vosten teamed up with the city’s sustainability crew to turn decommissioned steel dumpsters into a giant human figure.
The artists spent years cutting up retired municipal trash bins, bending the heavy steel plate, and welding the seams into "Hazmatt." Hall points out that Hazmatt stands as the second largest sculpture in Oklahoma—outranked only by the 75-foot Golden Driller in Tulsa. But where the Driller flexes over an oil rig, Hazmatt reclines peacefully against an embankment, cradling a single metallic wildflower in his giant palm.
The city officially cut the ribbon on Hazmatt on January 13, 2026, handing out photo-ops at a site most locals only visit when they need to get rid of old paint cans and dead lawnmower batteries. Tourism guides haven't caught on yet, mostly because no one thinks to look for high-concept public sculpture behind a waste drop-off fence.
What it's like
Pulling into 3803 Chautauqua Avenue feels like you've taken a wrong turn into an industrial work zone, but you can view Hazmatt directly from outside the fence line. Park in the facility lot and walk up for a close look at the dumpster-plate welds and the wildflower detail. Make sure to visit during full daylight; the facility doesn't light the yard after dark, so the giant vanishes at sunset. On weekdays, you'll be sharing the driveway with residents dropping off hazardous waste, so give active gates and city vehicles plenty of room.
The move: Drive out to the facility, park in the lot, and spend twenty minutes up close with a trash-bin titan holding a flower — then grab a patio table at one of the campus-area bars and argue about whether it's the best or weirdest public art in Oklahoma.
📍 Before you go The address points to a working municipal waste site, which can feel like a wrong turn, but Hazmatt sits out in the open just south of Highway 9 near OU off Chautauqua Avenue — you take it in from outside, so no appointment or proof of residency is needed (that policy only governs actual waste drop-off, not seeing the figure). Come in daylight: this is a roadside outdoor piece with no lighting after dark, and it shares a fenced, active work yard, so stay clear of operations and gates. The OU campus and the Campus Corner dining strip sit only a few minutes north when you want to make an evening of it.
- 📍 Norman
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 3803 Chautauqua Ave, Norman, OK 73072
Hours: Added 2026-06-09 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- University of Oklahoma Observatory (Lin Hall rooftop) — Drive two miles north onto the OU campus after daylight fades to trade industrial scrap art for stargazing on the roof of Lin Hall.
- Scratch Basement Bar — Head three miles into downtown Norman to follow up a dumpster giant with a craft drink in a subterranean speakeasy.
- Uncanny Art House — Pair Norman's giant scrap-metal landmark with a quick trip to this nearby artist-owned collective gallery in the Walker Arts District.
Good to know
Do I need to be a Norman resident or show ID to view the sculpture?
No. Residency checks and appointments are only required if you are dropping off hazardous household chemicals at the facility. Viewing Hazmatt from outside the yard is free and open to everyone.
What is the sculpture made out of?
It is constructed almost entirely from retired city dumpsters, scrapped municipal bins, and repurposed waste steel welded together.
When is the best time to stop by?
Visit during daylight hours. Hazmatt sits in an unlit outdoor yard, making him nearly impossible to see after nightfall.
How big is Hazmatt?
The sculpture stands 20 feet tall in its reclining pose, making it one of the largest public art pieces in the state.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: normanok.gov · oudaily.com · normantranscript.com · hoodline.com · kfor.com
last checked: 2026-06-09