Manish Vora
Jaume Plensa (Spain b.1955) is one of the world’s most famous living sculptors, and his latest installation, Echo, is on view right in New York City. Unveiled this morning, Echo is the largest sculpture ever displayed in Madison Square Park. If the American public has not yet heard of him, this spectacular installation will change that.
Collectors have long known his work with Galerie Lelong, where Plensa has had four solo shows. One of my lasting memories from this year’s ADAA Art Show was the dual presentation of Plensa from Galerie Lelong and Richard Gray Gallery. Lesser-known but as transcendent are his works on paper at Galerie Lelong in New York City (opening Friday, May 6).
Nonetheless, Plensa’s inspired public sculpture across Europe have made him an internationally recognizable name. With the memorable Crown Fountain in Chicago’s Millennium Park, new work in Houston and the unveiling of Echo in Madison Square Park in New York City, the American public will soon be embracing Plensa. “This is his public art debut in NYC, and it is the first time that his work will reach a general audience here in NYC," says Galerie Lelong’s Mary Sabbatino. “A public art debut in New York is very special and is of keen importance to him.”
Debbie Landau, Madison Square Park Conservancy President discusses how Echo came to NYC. “Our curatorial committee has admired Plensa and his work for a long time, in particular his capacity for remarkable outdoor works in the public realm. It is an honor to present such an accomplished artist’s New York City public art debut, and when Jaume shared with us his dream for Echo we knew at once that we had found a project perfect for Madison Square Park and the City of New York.”
Jaume Plensa, Dream, 2005. Courtesy of Galerie Lelong New York.
Jaume Plensa, Innocence, 2005. Courtesy of Galerie Lelong New York.
The idea of universal humanity is at the core of his work. Landau illustrates: “One of the most remarkable aspects of Jaume’s work is the way in which it transcends barriers to speak in a very powerful way to people from all walks of life. Madison Square Park sits at the heart of New York City and serves as an urban oasis for people of all ages, nationalities, and backgrounds. From dedicated art connoisseurs to those who stumble upon this great work by chance, Echo is a mirror in which everyone can see a piece of themselves.”
Jaume Plensa, Alabaster Sculptures, 2009-2011, Aprox. 70 × 25 × 26″. Courtesy of Richard Gray Gallery.
Madison Square Park has become on of the country’s most important public sculpture platforms in America with recent works by Antony Gormley, Jim Campbell, Kota Ezawa, and, farther back, Sol LeWitt, Roxy Paine, Ursula von Rydingsvard, and Mark di Suvero. Landau explained: “This is the twentieth exhibition presented by Mad. Sq. Art since the program began in 2004. Each artist and project has been unique and remarkable in its own way. At this time last year, Mad. Sq. Art was exhibiting Event Horizon, 31 life-size human figures by the British sculptor Antony Gormley. They were installed on the streets and sidewalks of Madison Square Park, as well as the rooftop and setbacks of the incredible buildings that populate our neighborhood, including the Flatiron Building and Empire State Building, to name just two. It is a fascinating contrast – two renowned figurative sculptors who otherwise could not be more different in terms of their approach to the site, scale, and the way in which they each approach the human form. I believe that Echo is as compelling in its monumental singularity as Event Horizon was in its dispersed multiplicity, and the contrast between the two illustrates the vitality and potential of contemporary art in this historic public space.”
Jaume Plensa, Crown Fountain, Millenium Park, Chicago, 2004.
