Jaume Plensa

Jaume Plensa (born 1955 in Barcelona, Catalonia) is an internationally renowned contemporary artist and sculptor. [cite web
url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/06_june/16/breathing_2.shtml
title=BBC - Press Office - Breathing press pack: Jaume Plensa
publisher=www.bbc.co.uk
accessdate=2008-07-30]

Works

One of Jaume Plensa's most notable works of art is the "Crown Fountain" at Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois in the United States. [cite web
url=http://www.millenniumpark.org/artandarchitecture/jaume_plensa.html
title=Millennium Park :: Art and Architecture :: The Crown Fountain
publisher=www.millenniumpark.org
accessdate=2008-07-30] Another is "Blake in Gateshead", in North East England, a laser beam that on special occasions shines high into the night sky over Gateshead's Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. In the summer of 2007 he participated in the Chicago Public Art exhibit, .

In 2007, working closely with a group of local ex-miners, he was also commissioned to create a new work on the landmark site of the former Sutton Manor Colliery in St Helens, Merseyside, North-West England as part of the Big Art Project, a major national public art initiative linked to Channel 4. The proposed sculpture titled "Dream" takes the form of a young girl’s head with eyes closed, seemingly in a dream-like state. It is to be fabricated in pre-cast concrete, with a white, marble/concrete aggregate mix, so that it has a luminescent finish. The artwork will be 20 metres high, and, subject to planning permission and project progress, "Dream" is intended to be launched in Spring 2009, when the Channel 4 TV series is also due to be aired.On 16 June 2008 Jaume's sculpture of a listening glass entitled "Breathing" was dedicated by the incumbent Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, as a memorial to journalists killed whilst undertaking their work. The sculpture in steel and glass sits atop a new wing of Broadcasting House in London. At 22:00 GMT each evening a beam of light will be projected from the sculpture extending 1km into the sky for 30 minutes to coincide with the BBC News at Ten [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/06_june/16/breathing.shtml "Breathing - a new sculpture for Broadcasting House"] BBC Press Office - Accessed 16 June 2008] .

Encana Corporation, one of the worlds largest Oil and Natural Gas producers, announced in June 2008 that Jaume had been chosen to design the reportedly multi-million dollar central art piece to reside in the plaza in front of their new headquarters in Calgary, Alberta [ [http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Platt_Michael/2008/06/16/5890296-sun.php EnCana deal will put Calgary on world art map] Calgary Sun - Accessed 16 June 2008] . The project will consist of two separate installations and the design will be unveiled later in 2008.

"El alma del Ebro" (see photo) was created for the International Exposition in Zaragoza, the theme of which was "Water and Sustainable Development". It is eleven meters high, the sculpted letters representing cells of the human body which is over 60% water. Its white letters and hollow structure invite the view to look inside and reflect on the relationship between human beings and water.

Biography

Plensa studied art in Barcelona, in the "Llotja" School and in the Escola Superior de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi.

Awards

* 1993: Medaille des Chevaliers des Arts et Lettres by the French Minister of Culture.
* 1996: Awarded by the Fondation Atelier Calder
* 1997: National Award of Arts by the Government of Catalonia.

References

External links

* [http://www.bigartsthelens.com/ More about Jaume Plensa and the St.Helens Big Art Project]
* [http://www.richardgraygallery.com Richard Gray Gallery]
* [http://richardgraygallery.com/pdf/JAUME%20PLENSA%20BIO.pdf Jaume Plensa resumé]
* [http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/B/bigart/latest_news.html#st_helens Jaume Plensa and the Big Art Project]
* cite web
url=http://the-artists.org/artist/Jaume_Plensa.html
title=Jaume Plensa artist and art...the-artists.org
publisher=the-artists.org
accessdate=2008-07-30
*cite web
url=http://www.umass.edu/fac/calendar/universitygallery/events/JaumePlensa.html
title=University Gallery -Jaume Plensa: Silent Noise
publisher=www.umass.edu
accessdate=2008-07-30
*cite web
url=http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=16589180573
title=The Des Moines Register's Videos: 'Nomade' sculpture by Jaume Plensa | Facebook
publisher=facebook.com
accessdate=2008-07-30

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