Erwin Wurm creates giant surrealist sculpture for New York hotel

Date
24 July 2012

It’s no great revelation to state that public art can be fairly hit and miss but kudos to The Standard Hotel in New York who have shown exactly how you go about it. 1. Pick someone brilliant, like Erwin Wurm. 2. Let that someone brilliant do what they do best. 3. Stick the piece on show and wait for the plaudits to roll in. Unveiled yesterday, Big Kastenmann (translated as Big Boxman) is an 18-foot high headless aluminium surrealist sculpture, part-coated in dripping pink enamel paint. It’s actually a giant version of one of the artist’s pieces from 2010 but on this scale and in such a busy location, it takes on a whole new meaning, like a freeze-frame from a deliciously whimsical disaster movie.

“My work is very much about interaction, and The Standard’s location and the size of the work ensure that Big Kastenmann will be accessible to many people, which is the essence of public art,” Erwin said.

The sculpture is on show until November 2.

Above

Erwin Wurm: Big Kastenmann (Courtesy of the Artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery,
New York. Photography by Adrian Gaut.
)

Above

Erwin Wurm: Big Kastenmann (Courtesy of the Artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery,
New York. Photography by Adrian Gaut.
)

Above

Erwin Wurm: Big Kastenmann (Courtesy of the Artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery,
New York. Photography by Adrian Gaut.
)

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Rob Alderson

Rob joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in July 2011 before becoming Editor-in-Chief and working across all editorial projects including itsnicethat.com, Printed Pages, Here and Nicer Tuesdays. Rob left It’s Nice That in June 2015.

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