Winter in New York can feel long, gray, and a little joy-starved — which is exactly why Mr. Pink feels like such a gift right now. Scattered throughout the Flatiron and NoMad neighborhoods, this exuberant public art installation features ten oversized pink sculptures by French artist Philippe Katerine, turning everyday city streets into moments of surprise, delight, and pure visual cheer. You can’t even imagine how hard I squealed when I saw my first Mr. Pink sculpture perched above the Kew Management Building (above) located on Broadway between 25th and 26th Streets. I knew immediately that I must track them all down. Continue reading Pink Thing of The Day: Mr. Pink Takes Over Flatiron and NoMad→
Man on Fire (1969–70), an early— and unmistakably iconic —sculpture by the late American artist Luis Jiménez, is a work of art that embodies raw power, cultural memory, and the turbulent politics of its time . Standing nearly seven-and-a-half feet tall and cast in brilliantly painted fiberglass, this blazing figure demands your attention. Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: Luis Jiménez, Man on Fire→
Yinka Shonibare’s surreal and visually unforgettable sculpture Headless Man Trying to Drink (2005) brings together biting social commentary, clever visual humor, and a rich exploration of post-colonial identity — all in one absurdly tragicomic gesture.
Crafted from fiberglass and wood, with clothing made from the artist’s signature Dutch wax-printed cotton, the life-sized headless figure leans forward, mouthlessly attempting to drink from a stylized water pump and fountain made of polymer-gypsum. Of course, without a head, this feat is impossible — which is exactly the point. Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: Headless Man Trying to Drink By Yinka Shonibare→
Dwayne Hansen’s 1974 sculpture of a Drug Addict slumped on the ground with a heroin needle in hand is rooted in the artist’s commitment to raise social consciousness by exposing the country’s harsh realities. In 1969, Hanson declared, “it is time for the artist to be ugly, obvious, and shock the people.” Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: Duane Hanson, Drug Addict→
