Tom Otterness On Broadway

Since mid-September, Broadway between 60th and 168th Streets has been graced with twenty-five works from sculptor Tom Otterness. You may be familiar with the round figures of Otterness's work from the 14th Street A/C/E station, as well as Battery Park City, Park Avenue, and and 42nd Street (above the Hilton). Gothamist loves the idea of sculptures peeking out in urban places; it's makes our walks so much nicer.

Newsday on how it took years to put this show together; the president of the Broadway Mall Association, which keeps up those benches and green areas in the middle of Broadway, had to get the approval of community boards all along the 100 blocks.

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By Jen Chung in Arts and Events on October 12, 2004 3:42 PM

Comments [rss]

Harry Ullt

There was also a nice video series about Otterness on the Times web site recently.

Bowtie

Otterness' stuff is great. The giant penny in the Deutche Bank lobby in midtown is phenomenal.

I'm wondering if anyone else went searching their latin dictionaries, or looked up the 12 google citations of ungras pable from the Otterness interview trying to grasp the meaning.

Emily!

I spent a Sunday afternoon walking from 145th street to Columbus Circle to see as many of these as I could--I heart Tom Otterness! It's lots of fun to see how the community interacts with the pieces in different areas (there was a block party next to the one on 135th when I was there). And I'm always excited to get some public art up in Harlem. Rock on, Tom.

Dirk

Otterness is great! I agree with the poster above, his sculptures have really brought life to the 14th St station. His work always brings a smile to my face. The city should encourage more public art.

BytchInNY

I'm going to have to go check those ones out... I absolutely love the ones at the 14th street L & ACE station... they really brought new life to the place.

meesalikeu

guy gets around. his little cartoonish figurines have graced the grounds of the magnificent downtown main branch of the cleveland public library for years.

Adam

It's also on a secret rooftop garden on the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse in Portland, Oregon. Security was tight even before September 11. I bet you can't even go up there anymore. A bunch of comical dogs and cats in courtroom situations. Fun stuff to eat lunch near.

spae

his work is also in the playground in the park at the western end of chambers street, to the west of stuyvesant high school, as i remember. i think that installation was there before 14th street(?) great stuff. little people climbing on coins and chess pieces, fountains... lots of mayhem!

Max

Excellent, I will have to brave the 5th Ave crossing and check those out. I have always loved Otterness' sculptures. They always seem to meet the right mixture (IMHO) of what public sculpture should be: durrable, kid friendly, subversive, fun and beautiful. His art is the only thing that makes the 14th St stop bearable. Glad to have more of them.