Renowned Majorcan artist unveils sculpture in New York
A monumental statue of an inverted elephant, balancing on his trunk, was unveiled in Union Square, New York, on Tuesday. The imposing ‘Gran Elefandret', by acclaimed artist Miquel Barceló, will remain in the square until the end of May 2012. Made from bronze, the sculpture stands approximately seven metres tall and weighs a massive five tonnes.
The installation was organised by the Marlborough Gallery in association with the Department of Parks and Recreation. A representative for the gallery commented, ‘At twenty-six feet tall the sculpture brilliantly portrays an extraordinary, if not impossible, physical and cultural feat; this contemporary monument believably captures with humour, scale and Spanish courage the essence of what a public monument can be today'.
Born in Felantrix, Mallorca, in 1957, Barceló is considered one of Spain's most influential, living painters. His public commissions include a large-scale sculptural installation at the Chapel of Saint Peter in the cathedral in Palma. Although he is perhaps best known for the painted dome at the UN's headquarters in Geneva. The 18m euro project was, somewhat controversially, funded by the Spanish government as well as private donors.
