This artwork stands in front of the AXA Equitable Building on 6th 1/2 Avenue between 51st Street and 52nd Street. "Young Elephant" is a bronze sculpture created in 1985 by artist Barry Flanagan. This particular piece is a limited edition of only five plus two artist proofs. It has been exhibited in London, Monaco, Tokyo, Montreal, Dublin and elsewhere before landing here in New York.
Barry Flanagan (Order of the British Empire and Member of the Royal Academy) was an Irish-Welsh sculptor. He is best known for his bronze statues of hares and other animals. He was the subject of a biographical film by Peter Bach, The Man Who Sculpted Hares: Barry Flanagan, A Life.
The only caption reads, "Flanagan articulates his private mythology of animal images through a characteristic wiry line, always with a sense of wry humor, as seen in the delightful pose of the hare atop the elephant. Hares figure prominently in Flanagan's work, often positioned on a large and heavy form, thereby creating a sense of tension between the animal's qualities of swift, agile movement and the weight to which it is grounded." It is definitely a striking piece of artwork and worth seeing if you're walking along 6 1/2.
[Review 15718 overall - 308 in New York - 1222 of 2021.] read more