Why a giant bust of Elon Musk was spotted across Texas

An enormous bust of mercurial billionaire Elon Musk was spotted across Texas in recent days, sparking widespread confusion and speculation.
The giant bronze likeness of Musk’s head was spotted on the beach in South Texas and being towed down streets by a Cybertruck, as onlookers wondered who was behind the odd-looking bust and where it was headed.
It turns out that a French tech entrepreneur who prefers to be identified only as “Louis” is behind the piece. The artist also co-created a crypto token known as “ElonRWA.”
Louis told ARTnews that he wanted to bring more attention and visibility to an infamously bad drawing of the SpaceX founder in 2019. The drawing, depicting Musk’s eyes close together and cheeks swollen, led to the viral meme “Elon, I drew you.”
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“We had the idea to to bring something into life that would be more striking and maybe even crazier and funnier,” Louis told the outlet.
The 9-foot-tall bust was unveiled Sunday during an “ElonDay” event at Pluton Brewing Company in Brownsville. Afterward, the bust will be installed near SpaceX’s launch facility in nearby Boca Chica.
According to the event’s website, ElonDay featured activities, live entertainment and discussions about Musk’s impact on society.
“ElonDay is not just a tribute to Elon Musk’s accomplishments but also a celebration of the meme culture that continues to entertain and influence,” the website says. “The event is designed to be a space for meaningful discourse and community connection, catering to both Musk enthusiasts and critics alike.”
Viral photographs and videos of the bust traveling through Texas prompted comments such as “dictator vibes,” and “wasn’t Elon already enough of a bust?”
To create the piece, a fellow techie turned the viral bad drawing into a 3D rendering, according to ARTnews. Louis then found a company in Utah to produce the sculpture out of foam and fiberglass.
“It took a big month to make it happen,” Louis told the outlet. News of the sculpture was first reported by the San Antonio Express-News.
Tesla Cybertruck seen hauling a giant bust of Elon Musk in Texas. pic.twitter.com/AWEjJb4iHX
Musk has been an enthusiastic Texan since moving the headquarters of electric car maker Tesla here from California in 2021. This year, he announced he would also move SpaceX’s headquarters and X, formerly Twitter, to Texas, as well. His move comes as Musk increasingly embraces the Republican party, endorsing former President Donald Trump, whom he interviewed live on X this month.
His reception in Texas has not all been positive. SpaceX is transforming the Rio Grande Valley with its rocket launches and plans to build a multimillion-dollar shopping center and restaurant in Brownsville, but South Texas community and environmental groups have complained about noise, light pollution and never-ending construction.
Last year, environmental groups sued the Federal Aviation Administration challenging its approval of SpaceX’s expanded rocket launches after a rocket exploded and hurled chunks of concrete and metal shrapnel into the air. And this year, conservation organizations and indigenous groups sued Texas Parks and Wildlife to block a controversial land swap with SpaceX.