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Iván Argote's viral new High Line plinth commission speaks to our impermanence as a species

2024-08-02T18:34:00-04:00

New York's High Line just debuted what promises to be a viral new public art installation from Iván Argote. From October on, the fourth High Line Plinth commission winner will present Dinosaur, a 16-foot hyperrealist pigeon sculpture made from cast aluminum. Argote says his work is a metacommentary on the impermanence of the human species.

Iván Argote, Dinosaur, Rendering courtesy of the artist

The bird itself was manufactured in Mexico and must make a pit stop in New Jersey on its migration journey before being installed on its five-foot plinth overlooking Tenth Avenue, a perch from which it will peer into the city until September of 2026. Pigeons, of course, are synonymous with New York City. One criticism might be that a dove would be more appropriate for a high-profile commission in the global media capital, given the many current conflicts ongoing across the world.

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The High Line opens its newest and final section, the Spur

2019-06-12T15:02:00-04:00

The widest open space of the High Line opened [...], marking the completion of the wildly popular elevated park. A 16-foot bronze sculpture by Simone Leigh anchors the new section, called the Spur, which offers vistas in every direction. The Spur is a 420-foot section that extends over the intersection of 10th Avenue at West 30th Street.

"The design of the Spur has gone through many iterations over the years: from theater, to garden, to woodland, to event platform, to an immersive ‘bowl,’ among others," said James Corner, who led the design of the Spur, as well as other sections of the High Line, in collaboration with Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Planting Designer Piet Oudolf.

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"But we ended up with the best solution, typical High Line: tough, simple, and authentic. Leaving the large lofted space of the Coach Passage, you enter the Spur through a lush woodland, which opens into a large clearing with large-scale artwork on the Plinth. This dramatic space is flanked by generous seating and overlooks and immerses you in the massive scale of the surrounding city."

"The Spur opens new vistas to and from the city and visually reconnects the High Line back to the 10th Avenue Overlook...

The High Line Plinth will showcase public art as a gathering spot in the park’s newest section

2018-12-10T16:43:00-05:00

The Spur, the last section of the High Line, extending east along 30th Street and ending above 10th Avenue, is scheduled to open in 2019. Unlike other sections of the park which are more linear and perfect for strolling, this section will feature a large-scale plaza for public programming and art and areas for seating and gathering. Anchoring the new section will be the High Line Plinth, one of the only sites in New York City with the purpose of featuring a rotating series of new contemporary public art commissions.

Image by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, courtesy of the City of New York.

Via Friends of the High Line

Image by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, courtesy of the City of New York.

The concept was inspired by the Fourth Plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square. Artists will have a unique platform for inspiring the public due to the scale and high visibility the new addition. Surrounded by open space with sweeping vistas all a...