Miquel Barceló the 53 year old Spanish artist has installed into the famous New York’s Union Square a 9 metre tall, 5 tonne, sculptured bronze circus like elephant titled ‘Gran elefandret’. The sculpture depicts the elephant balancing in a gravity-defying posture holding itself up by the end of its trunk. The highly textured piece depicts the fat wrinkly legs, sagging skin and floppy big ears all delicately balanced on the animal’s trunk. The work is located on a traffic island adjacent to the square secured with a steel base, and has been previously exhibited publically to much acclaim in Madrid and Avignon. Speaking at the unveiling of the work Barceló stated, “I always say it’s a self portrait, because it’s like an artist in difficult times – we’re always balancing on our trunks.”

 

Inspired by Julia Halperin http://ht.ly/6tYvp image source sightseeing-madrid http://ow.ly/6y5S4