Walking through Madison Square Park on Friday and stepping through puddles from a recent rainstorm I was admiring how beautifully green and lush the grass, trees and plants were when this massive white head came into view. I didn’t even need to see the serene expression of the sculpted face or the odd sense of realism to fall madly in love with it. Although those elements certainly added to my fondness for the piece.
There through August 14th, the sculpture is called Echo and is the public art debut of Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. It’s a towering presence at forty four feet tall and stands in the center of the park on the Oval Lawn…you can’t miss it. And I highly suggest you don’t. While you’re there you can grab a burger and fries from my favorite outdoor joint…Shake Shack. Or if meat’s not your thing, just steps away on 23rd Street, Bonobos serves up excellent vegan dishes you can carry out and enjoy in the park.
Mary Maru
PS: Photos were taken with my old Blackberry.
I’ve been feeling down about the rain and how ugly the city looks and feels to me these days. I’m looking forward to roaming around this sculpture regardless of the weather. Thanks for bringing it to my attention and reminding my how great NYC is!
It’s kind of amazing how many days in a row it’s rained here. I kind of like going into (certain) parks when it’s drizzling though. Makes me feel like I’m in the forest.
What an amazing find, Mary. I love the sculpture, and I love Bonobo’s! I haven’t been to Madison Square Park in a while, but every time I go south of 34th Street, I come away inspired. Have you been to the Ace Hotel lobby? It’s not too far from there. Great place to write, read and enjoy a cup of tea. http://bit.ly/mp7g17
No, I didn’t know about the Ace Hotel lobby. Nice tip…thank you! I’ll definitely check it out the next time I’m in that neighborhood.