Jaume Plensa: Inner Matter
Our first art adventure in Madrid was an exhibition of works by the Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa. I’ve seen and admired several works by Plensa in the United States. Laura with Bun at the Tampa Museum of Art looks like a young ballet dancer gazing toward the performing arts center. Crown Fountain in Chicago’s Millennium Park has two 50-foot towers with LED faces spitting water at onlookers. And his distinctive hollow figures crafted from metal numbers and mathematical symbols can be seen in New Orleans, Boston, and other cities.
The Plensa exhibit in Madrid was at the Espacio Fundación Telefónica, just a few meters from our hotel on the Gran Via, and it was free to the public. There was a wide variety of pieces spanning thirty years. There were large heads made from metal and stone; suspended heads made from transparent wire mesh (my favorite); broken busts with numbers and symbols; and curtains made from rusted iron letters. It was, by turns, calming, fascinating, disturbing, and mystifying.
The exhibit made me want to learn more about the artist, his motivation, and his view of the world. Here’s an excerpt from a recent interview with Plensa:
“I’m often asked why the faces recurrently have closed eyes and tranquil expressions. It is a deliberate choice to encourage each person to look inward, unveil the hidden beauty within themselves, and strive to express it. Art should help people to reflect on what they can contribute to the community.”
