Mercury (red) and Mercury (yellow)

Doris C. Freedman Plaza
 
lacquered aluminum with
stainless steel stands

July 7 - August 31, 2004

at Lincoln Center and Doris C. Freedman Plaza

Two sculptures, both called Mercury, are installed at the entrance to Central Park at Doris C. Freedman Plaza. The title is a galaxy-themed reference to West's previous work, Moon Project, a group of furniture pieces he exhibited in The Museum of Modern Art's sculpture garden in 1997. With their long, low-lying bodies and irregular bumpy appendages, the works function both as public art and outdoor furniture, providing a variety of seats and perches for passersby.

Artist Bio
For the past decade, internationally acclaimed artist Franz West has been creating large-scale aluminum sculptures. With their engaging combination of whimsy and monumentality, the sculptures have become a signature element of West's wide-ranging body of work, which also includes smaller objects, installations of sculptural furniture, and works on paper.

Franz West lives and works in Vienna, where he was born in 1947. He has exhibited internationally for more than three decades in galleries and museums, and at major festivals including Documenta IX (1992) and Documenta X (1997), Kassel, Germany; Sculpture Projects in Münster (1997); and the Venice Biennale (1988, 1993, 1997, 2003). His work has recently been exhibited at Whitechapel Gallery, London (2003); Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna (2003); Gagosian Gallery, New York (2003); Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid (2001); and elsewhere. He had a solo exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art in 1997.

Sponsorship
This exhibition is sponsored by friends of the Public Art Fund with support from The David and Peggy Rockefeller Art Fund. Support is also provided by the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies.

Operation of Lincoln Center's public plazas is supported in part with public funds provided by The City of New York. The presentation at Doris C. Freedman Plaza is made possible through the cooperation and support of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.

Special thanks to Gagosian Gallery, New York.

About Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) serves three primary roles: presenter of artistic programming, national leader in arts and education and community relations, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. LCPA takes a wide range of activities beyond its halls through the Lincoln Center Institute, as well as offering arts-related symposia; family programming; and accessibility. Please visit www.lincolncenter.org for more information.

Location
Lincoln Center is located on Broadway between 62nd and 65th Streets.
Doris C. Freedman Plaza is located at Fifth Avenue and 60th Street.