David Loya, Jr.
2025
Wood, Found Objects, Metal, Paper
Dimensions Variable
This altar installation honors and is titled after David Loya, Jr, a young Houston cyclist who passed away after being struck by an HISD school bus at the intersection of Heights Street and 8th Street on March 7, 2019. He was biking home from the University of Houston–Downtown, where he was a student, and died near the apartment where he was living. Just a few weeks earlier, he had expressed concerns about bicycle safety.
David Jr. was known to his family, friends, and loved ones as a bright and positive light, someone whose smile and personality brought joy to everyone around him. He had a deep love for music and was often found playing or listening to it. He frequently shared music recommendations and would pull out his acoustic guitar to play for friends and family. He was also an emerging DJ, passionate about creating soundscapes that moved people.
Among his many passions was helping others, particularly children. He channeled this commitment into his work at an immigration center.
Above all, David Jr. loved biking. He found a profound sense of freedom on two wheels.
In this altar, I sought to encapsulate the things that were important to David Jr. The white guitar and a photograph of him playing his acoustic guitar represent his creative passion and talent. I also believe that places hold memory, so I reference Heights Street and 8th Street, the intersection where David passed away, through a replica of the house near the intersection that bore witness to the event.
To further illustrate David’s upbringing as a Houstonian, I included symbols emblematic of the city and of his Heights neighborhood, where he grew up: the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, Houston’s official bird as declared by Houston City Council in 2019, the year of David’s passing, and magnolia flowers. Long associated with Houston and featured in the city’s historic architecture, including magnolia motifs on doorknobs at City Hall, magnolias also represent peace and remembrance.
Finally, high above the altar, David soars while riding a white bicycle. The white bike is an iconic symbol of the Ghost Bike memorials found throughout Houston, which commemorate fallen cyclists. It also references David’s own bicycle, which was white. I depict David and his bike emblazoned with sun rays in the form of a golden bicycle wheel, soaring above the city and the people he loved.
