Route 1’s newest piece of public art is by a noted Spanish artist.
“The Soul of Words I and II” was recently placed on the grassy area in front of the Whole Foods parking lot at Riverdale Park Station.
The two sculptures are made of painted stainless steel in the shape of words from eight languages, sitting atop a pile of river stones. They are designed to be illuminated at night.
They were made by Jaume Plensa, a Barcelona-born sculptor and artist who has recently became popular for public art in the United States.
Plensa’s other works include “Crown Fountain,” an interactive fountain at Millennium Park that displays LED images of Chicago residents; “Sleep No More,” a beam of light at the Durham Performing Arts Center in North Carolina; and “Alchemist,” a similar stainless steel sculpture featuring numerical symbols at MIT.
Made in 2014, “The Soul of Words I and II” were previously on display as part of exhibitions at the Tampa Museum of Art in Florida, the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens & Museum of Art in Nashville and the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio.
The Route 1 corridor has a lot of great public art, but these sculptures may be from the most well-known artist now represented.
