Public Art Monday: Tom Friedman’s Looking Up at Laguna Gloria

On Mondays, we share our favorite public art works from Houston and around the globe with you. We believe passionately in the transformative power of public art for both the individual and in communities. Check out previous Public Art Monday posts here.

This week we’re giving you a sneak peek of a new work recently installed at The Contemporary Austin’s Laguna Gloria campus.  Tom Friedman’s “Looking Up” is a 33-foot tall sculpture of a figure with slightly outstretched arms, peering into the sky. The figure is lithe and delicate, with a sense of carefree wonder, seemingly all in direct contrast to the materials used to construct the sculpture. New York-based Friedman used mashed-up aluminum roasting pans, which were then cast in stainless steel. The overall effect is similar to that of a tin foil origami swan used to elegantly transport leftovers. But that effect is what Friedman is after, which gives the viewer an instant sense of familiarity with the work.

To learn more about Friedman, or to visit the work (which is officially on view beginning May 10), visit Laguna Gloria at www.thecontemporaryaustin.org.

Image credit: Tom Friedman, production maquette for Looking Up, 2015. Stainless steel. 390 x 130 x 90 inches. Edition 1 of 3, 1 AP. Artwork © Tom Friedman.