Jaume Plensa Discusses His Poignant Public Art Works

On Friday, October 9, at 5 p.m., sculptor Jaume Plensa (Spanish, born 1955) will discuss his four bronze portraits — making their international debut in “Field of Dreams” at the Parrish Art Museum —with Alicia G. Longwell, Ph.D., The Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman chief curator.

The never-before-seen sculpture evokes silence and stillness in a complex world. In “Carlota (oak),” “Wilsis (oak),” “Laura Asia (oak)” and “Julia (oak),” 2019 — totemic portraits originally carved from oak that stand over 9 feet tall — Plensa captures a moment of quiet reflection, evoking silence and stillness in a bustling world. The artist explores the connection between humanity and nature in his work. For 35 years, Plensa has produced a multifaceted body of work creating sculpture that speaks to the capacity and beauty of humanity, often bringing people together through the activation of public spaces.

“Plensa is a sculptor who embraces the human form and its capacity to speak to us and move us deeply,” said Longwell. “In the extraordinary new work destined soon after completion for the Parrish’s ‘Field of Dreams,’ the four figures glance obliquely at one another, drawing viewers into their wordless conversation.”

Arriving at the museum directly from Plensa’s studio in Barcelona, the four sculptures explore the idea of memory and the passage of time.

“Every time I do a portrait, soon after, the model no longer exists,” Plensa states.

The artist captures his female sitters with their eyes closed in a moment of quiet reflection, a concept central in his practice. The works are the first in a new series of portraits carved directly into tree trunks, with the trunks remaining part of the sculpture in the subsequent casting in bronze. The innate connection between humanity and nature resonates deeply in this body of work: the wood acts as both the medium and the subject of the sculpture itself, while the irregular surfaces and scattered splinters and cracks in the wood are captured in bronze.

The live-streamed talk is part of the museum’s online Friday Nights Live! series. The public is invited to join the talk, which can be accessed online only (no on-site audience). Log in information is at parrishart.org.

Opened on August 20, as part of the Parrish’s new Art in the Meadow initiative, “Field of Dreams” presents work by 10 international, multi-generational artists working in a variety of genres throughout the 14-acre grounds originally designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron and landscape architects Reed Hilderbrand.

The inaugural exhibition features work by Theaster Gates (American, born 1973), Jim Dine (American, born 1935), Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-97), Joel Perlman (American, born 1943), Joel Shapiro (American, born 1941), Max Ernst (German, 1891-1976) and Bernar Venet (French, born 1941). Two additional monumental works by Isa Genzken (German, born 1948) and Giuseppe Penone (Italian, born 1947) will be installed in the coming weeks.

The Parrish Art Museum is at 279 Montauk Highway in Water Mill and “Field of Dreams” is open daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free to the public. Museum galleries are open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for timed visits through pre-registration and online ticketing on the Parrish website.