Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park: [Horizons: The Figurative World of Steinunn Thorarinsdottir]

Horizons [2007-08]..
By Steinunn Thorarinsdottir [Icelandic, b 1955]
[Pronounced: Stay-nun Thorens-daughter]
Cast-iron, glass
Loan courtesy of the artist.
Steinunn Thorarinsdottir lives and works in Reykjavik, Iceland..
Location: Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park..

Being a fan of Figurative Sculptures, one of my instant favourites at the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, was a collection of figure-sculptures called "Horizons". These are 12 life-sized figures, of cast-iron, and each of these has a glass insert in their upper torso. The artist explains this juxtaposition of glass and iron, “The color of the iron signifies their primal quality—as if they are emerging from the earth,” while, “Glass as a material has a lot of different connotations. It can be fragile, yet dangerous. It can be translucent, or solid . . . It's like water, but also like air.”

"Thorarinsdottir’s work touches on themes of loneliness and isolation with threads of hope implied by glass inserts that provide an aura of spirituality,”
- Geoffrey Bates, Director and Curator of the park..













These sculptures reminded me of a few other figure sculptures I've seen in Chicago..
# Agora - By Magdalena Abakanowicz..
# Man on Bench - By George Segal..
# Bridge by Jennifer Dickson ..


Agora - By Magdalena Abakanowicz..
A collection of 106 sculptures in Grant Park..


Man on Bench - By George Segal..


Bridge by Jennifer Dickson..
I am putting the name of a very young Chicago based sculptor with the giants. And I wish Jennifer Dickson, Very Good Luck with her work.. This piece "Bridge" did allude a feeling of solitude and spirituality to me. When I saw it, I had no idea who the artist was, and much later when I found out about the sculptor, I was surprized how young she is! Now of course a FB friend!
Here's link to her website.. click here..

Coming back to Horizons by Steinunn Thorarinsdottir..
It is imperative to mention that this is one of the Temporary Exbibits, and not a part of the 26 large-scale sculptures at the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park.. In fact it is the first of what is planned to be a series of temporary exhibitions of contemporary sculpture that will change on a regular basis.. Here's a link to the official website, click here..

Check these out..
# Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park - North Trail..
# Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park - South Trail..
# Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park - My Facebook Album ..