charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age

new public artworks by Charles Ray & Christopher Wool in NYC

 

On June 5, 2023, two new works of public art by world-renowned artists Charles Ray and Christopher Wool emerged within the city of New York. Set at Manhattan West, Brookfield Properties’ eight-acre mixed-use development, the new pieces feature Charles Ray’s ‘Adam and Eve,’ one of the artist’s very few public sculptures ever realized. The artwork showcases two figures of the original sinners machined out of solid blocks of stainless steel, blending harmoniously with the surrounding skyscrapers and bustling urban environment. Accompanying Ray’s work is Christopher Wool’s ‘Crosstown Traffic,’ his largest piece to date and first-ever mosaic.

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
Charles Ray Adam and Eve, 2023, Stainless steel 1031/2 x 831/2 x 291/2 inches | images by Timothy Schenck

 

 

adam and eve by Charles Ray

 

The Adam and Eve sculpture by Charles Ray (find more here) decorates the entrance of One and Two Manhattan West, the impressive skyscrapers belonging to Brookfield Properties (find more here). Crafted meticulously from solid stainless steel blocks, the work imagines the titular original sinners in their old age, each reaching a height of nearly ten feet. This reflective artwork not only activates the surrounding space but is also activated by it. The chosen location speaks volumes about the vibrant energy of the newly developed Manhattan West neighborhood, strategically positioned near iconic landmarks such as Moynihan Train Hall, Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, and The High Line.

 

‘There is a harmonious relationship between Manhattan West’s new towers made of steel and glass,’ writes Ray. ‘The towers soar to the heavens, reflecting the city and the clouds above. On the corner, a figurative sculpture consisting of two figures, a man and a woman, husband and wife, Adam and Eve, sit and stand in the spatial reality of the civic world that defines them. Eve sits at the viewer’s eye level and the liveliness of the street, with its light and its noise, reflects from her surface. Adam, standing, teeters as he looks towards 9th Avenue. The figures stir space as if space was cake batter in a bowl. Are they Adam and Eve, who lived into a very old age? Or are they two old people, a couple like you and me?’

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
the two figures are crafted from solid stainless steel blocks

 

 

Crosstown Traffic by Christopher Wool

 

Crosstown Traffic, a new 28 x 39-foot mosaic by Christopher Wool (find more here) is based on a recent small-scale painting on paper, which Wool, with the assistance of artisans in a studio outside of Venice, Italy, translated into a monumental expanse of stone and glass. The mosaic takes its name from the iconic Jimi Hendrix song, paying homage to the energy and movement it evokes. The work is installed in the lobby of Two Manhattan West. Notably, this is the first time Wool has ventured into creating a mosaic of this scale, showcasing his ongoing exploration of images and their transformation across different artistic mediums.

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
the work imagines the titular original sinners in their old age

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
‘Eve sits at the viewer’s eye level and the liveliness of the street, with its light and its noise, reflects from her surface’

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
‘Adam, standing, teeters as he looks towards 9th Avenue’

charles-ray-cristopher-wool-manhattan-sculpture-adam-eve-designboom-full-02

Charles Ray’s ‘Adam and Eve’ is one of the artist’s very few public sculptures ever realized

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
‘are they Adam and Eve, who lived into a very old age?’

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
‘or are they two old people, a couple like you and me?’

charles-ray-cristopher-wool-manhattan-sculpture-adam-eve-designboom-full

detailed shot of the reflective figure – hands

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
detailed shot of the reflective figure – clothes

charles-ray-cristopher-wool-manhattan-sculpture-adam-eve-designboom-full-03

Christopher Wool, Crosstown Traffic, 2023, mosaic 28×39

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
the work is installed in the lobby of Two Manhattan West

charles ray's new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
the mosaic takes its name from the iconic Jimi Hendrix song

charles-ray-cristopher-wool-manhattan-sculpture-adam-eve-designboom-full-01

this is the first time Wool has ventured into creating a mosaic of this scale

 

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charles ray’s new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
 
charles ray’s new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
 
charles ray’s new public sculpture in manhattan imagines adam and eve in their old age
 

project info: 

 

name: Adam and Eve
artist: Charles Ray

 

name: Crosstown Traffic 
artist: Christopher Wool

 

location: Manhattan West, New York City

 

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