Jaume Plensa. Endless V.

Written By Clare Kunny

Part of a series from Singapore to Sweden.

Plensa's Endless V features interlocking letters from 8 different languages that form the outline of a seated human figure, 8 feet tall (2.43 m). A celebration of multiculturalism and an homage to the artist's love of poetry, philosophy, and literature, Endless V is part of a series of similar works across the globe, from Singapore to Sweden. The steel armature, or open framework on which the sculpture is created, comprised of disparate words and letters, creates an elegant surface pattern while evoking a collective sense of unity. Placed in the midst of a busy city park, the sculpture strives to connect visitors from near and far.

In the artist’s own words.

”I understood the text as a beautiful metaphor about community, about society. One letter alone is nothing, but together with other letters you get a word. A word with a word becomes a text, and so on. A person alone is nothing, but together with others we become family, a neighborhood, a city, a county, a country.”

–Jaume Plensa

If you want to learn more about Jaume Plensa, his work Laura is in our Access! Guide under “Century City.” The massive work is located in front of the hotel Fairmont Century Plaza.

SPARK A CONVERSATION.

  • Can you make out any words or letters? Try tracing their outlines with your hands.

  • Reflect on the title of the sculpture. What does it mean to you? 

  • Why might the artist have chosen to have some letters spill onto the base, flowing beyond the seated human form?

  • Other versions of this sculpture don’t include that detail. How does that design choice affect how you see or understand the sculpture?

  • Try (or imagine) sitting in the same position as the figure. How do you feel?

  • Does taking this pose help you better understand the sculpture?

Clare Kunny https://www.artmusela.com
Previous

HENRI ALFRED MARIE JACQUEMART. HUNTER AND HOUNDS.
Next

AI WEIWEI. IRON ROOT.