olaf breuning sets child-like clouds soaring above central park

olaf breuning sets child-like clouds soaring above central park
image courtesy of public art fund, NY

interrupting the steel grey skyline and towering nearly 35 feet above new york city’s most famous plaza, olaf breuning has installed ‘clouds‘, overlooking the south east entrance of manhattan’s famed central park. exhibited by the public art fund — a non-profit organization which brings contemporary art to the urban streets — the sculptural installation is situated amongst the park’s soaring trees, supported by rudimentary steel beams, which are stacked like ladders leading into the sky. the six bright blue clouds are made from polished and painted aluminum, and have each been cut to mirror a hand drawing illustrated by the artist, bringing to mind the set design of a school play or child-like sketches of the sky. the vibrantly colored flat silhouettes punctuate the bustling landscape with their sense of whimsy and charm, propelling the viewer into a surreal world that seeks to accentuate the humor of everyday life. the metropolis’ predominately colorless building façades are dramatically transformed into a playful fictional tableau, inviting passers-by to indulge in the stage-like quality of a new york city street with a new sense of wonder and possibility.

a view of ‘clouds’ from above the park
image courtesy of public art fund, NY

overlooking central park entrance
image © designboom

the installation sits at the entrance of new york city’s most famous public plaza
image courtesy of public art fund, NY

the six clouds mimic child-like drawings of the sky
image © designboom

each cloud is supported by steel ladders
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the vibrant blue color enlivens the gray skyline
image © designboom

the public art adds a sense of whimsy and humor to the urban fabric
image © designboom

clouds from the view inside central park
image courtesy of public art fund, NY

initial sketches of the public installation
image courtesy of public art fund, NY