Ugo Rondinone
BIO
MOONRISE. east. may is a work by Swiss-born, critically-acclaimed Ugo Rondinone. The work was initially on display in Citygarden in celebration of Citygarden’s 10th anniversary, and due to its popularity, has permanently returned. Ugo’s art has graced galleries, exhibits, and spaces around the world, including in the Nevada desert where seven towering totems stand in bold and colorful display. Marking the artist’s first venture into free-standing figurative sculptures, MOONRISE. east. may. is the fourth and final installation in a 12-piece series. Each sculpture represents a month of the year and the collection overall is emblematic of nightfall, moonrise, and the sky–elements closely associated with time. The eight-foot-tall, mask-like bust with a grinning misshapen face is set atop a metal plinth. Modeled in clay, cast in aluminum and finally lacquered, it is no accident that their rippled surface bears the permanent imprint of Rondinone’s fingers. In this manner, the artist reflects on the relationship between the human condition and the natural world, specifically on mankind’s attempts to grasp and even manipulate the passage of time.
Moonrise East May, 2005
Cast Aluminum / Brown Enamel
74 3/4″ x 59″ x 47 1/4″