Intended to be a monument to the good will between Mexico and San Antonio, the sculpture with its modernistic design and brilliant red-orange hue wasn’t a welcome sight when its downtown installation was first proposed over 20 years ago.
“The Torch of Friendship” sculpture, created by internationally renowned Mexican sculptor Sebastián, was a gift to the city from the Mexican business community. It was unveiled on June 27, 2002, in a roundabout near the corner of Commerce and Alamo streets.
“The Torch of Friendship” — translated from the Spanish name “La Antorcha de la Amistad” that it was given by its artist — was donated to the city by the Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos, a local group of Mexican business professionals who commissioned the artwork…