Times Square Arts and the Jewish Museum have officially unveiled a brand new, 30-foot sculpture as of today, November 8th, titled Sculpture of Dreams. The large-scale inflatable sculpture is one of the largest art installations hosted in Times Square to date.
Those who visit the sculpture by legendary, 80-year-old Argentinian conceptual pop artist Marta Minujín will be met with an innovative work of art that pushes boundaries.
Minujín is, after all, known for her whimsical conceptual projects–past works include performances with horses, motorcycles, and chickens, sculptures made out of cheese, and towers of banned books.
In the past she even proposed making a giant Statue of Liberty sculpture using McDonald’s hamburgers.
Minujín stated:
Times Square is the biggest Pop scene of all time. For me, it’s like being Alice in Wonderland. My Sculpture of Dreams – a flying, inflatable, soft sculpture – will be surrounded by lights, videos, and people from all over the world who come to see the attractions. It’s the perfect place for this work, I love it!
Minujín refers to Sculpture of Dreams as an “‘anti-sculpture,’ in a playful reference to the inflatable work’s subversive materiality: edgeless, soft, quite literally full of air” reads a press release.
Standing a towering 30 feet tall, the 16-piece inflatable work represents the multi-sensory landscape of Times Square. Visitors will find the work is also immersive as they’re invited to walk through the sculpture’s interior into a rush of merging colors and recorded birdsongs.
“This is a rare opportunity to experience Minujín’s fluorescent spirit on a monumental scale – those who crave immersive, multi-sensory encounters with art will not be disappointed,” says Jewish Museum Associate Curator Rebecca Shaykin.
Iterations of Minujín’s Sculpture of Dreams have been presented in Argentina, Peru, and Brazil. This Times Square exhibition marks the work’s North American debut and the artist’s first public sculpture in NYC.
Sculpture of Dreams is now on display and will remain on view in Times Square until November 21st, 2023. The work coincides with Minujín’s major survey exhibition Marta Minujín: Arte! Arte! Arte! on view at The Jewish Museum beginning Friday, November 17th.
“In spirit, style, and artistic practice, Marta Minujín might be more Times Square than Times Square itself,” says Times Square Arts Director Jean Cooney, “I can’t imagine a more fitting place to have her present such a buoyant and spectacular intervention about dreams and desire.”
Learn more on Times Square Arts’ website.
P.S. if you get hungry while in Times Square, be sure to check out the Fantastic World of the Portuguese Sardine, which just opened in the neighborhood!