Over the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Street, a large pigeon sculpture will be hovering over cars and pedestrians coming this October 2024.
The France-based artist, Iván Argote, designed this hyper-realistic rendition of the iconic New York City bird titled, Dinosaur.
“The name Dinosaur makes reference to the sculpture’s scale and to the pigeon’s ancestors who millions of years ago dominated the globe, as we humans do today,” said Argote.
The sculpture, made out of aluminum and carefully hand-painted, will be on view for 18 months.
“Iván Argote’s monumental pigeon on the High Line Plinth demonstrates the power of art as storyteller and equalizer, giving New Yorkers and visitors alike unexpected insights and a common language of joy,” said Alan van Capelle, executive director of Friends of the High Line.
For the first time, an artist from the global south and the youngest yet will be joining the Plinth program, a landmark destination for public art in New York City.
In his art, Argote explores the human relationship with others, institutions, power and belief systems, usually questioning those who should be admired, respected and memorialized. Dinosaur is an example of this, which celebrates one of the city’s icons instead of a traditional historical figure.
“Iván has a charming ability as an artist to take something familiar and make us consider it anew in profound ways,” said Cecilia Alemani, the Donald R. Mullen, junior director and chief curator of High Line Art. “His sculpture for the High Line Plinth adds a critical yet funny perspective to the ongoing dialogue of public art,” she said.
This sculpture will be the fourth commission for the Plinth program, joining Simon Leigh’s Brick House, Sam Durant’s Untitled (drone) and Pamela Rosenkranz’s Old Tree.
“The connections and conversations across cultures, affiliations, and backgrounds that public art inspires are among the High Line’s most important offerings,” said Capelle.
