Five monumental sculptures — cast concrete poured in alternating layers of black and white — were installed this week throughout Madison Square Park, that swath of green space between Madison and Fifth Avenues from 23rd to 26th Street. The exhibition is the work of the New York sculptor Mel Kendrick, who is perhaps best known for his wood objects. These pieces are his first public art project in the city and his first experiment with cast concrete.
"It's a material I've wanted to work with for a long time," he said. "These pieces are all about slicing and reconstructing shapes, sort of like the idea of the old ship in a bottle."
The show's title, "Markers," has many meanings for Mr. Kendrick, including a nod to the black-and-white marble found in Gothic Italian cathedrals as well as a reference to the notion of marking one's place.
"It's a material I've wanted to work with for a long time," he said. "These pieces are all about slicing and reconstructing shapes, sort of like the idea of the old ship in a bottle."
The show's title, "Markers," has many meanings for Mr. Kendrick, including a nod to the black-and-white marble found in Gothic Italian cathedrals as well as a reference to the notion of marking one's place.
September 9, 2009
