“Taxi” by John Seward Johnson II, 1983
East 48th Street and Park Avenue
New York, September 2008
“Unlike much public art, his work is not heroic. No larger-than-life forebears on pedestals or pigeon-decorated generals on horses for him. Instead, he brings sculpture down to ground level, where it celebrates the simplest human acts and attitudes. His figures nap on park benches, ride skateboards, bop to boom boxes, eat lunch, neck and scratch their noses. One girl seated on a park bench reads a love letter from a boyfriend. But when a viewer looks carefully, he sees the name of a different boy on her ID bracelet. Another figure is unaware that his fly is unzipped, and one brazen fellow cheats at cards.” (Seward's Follies, The New York Times)
This is terrific. And what could be more iconic of New York than a businessman hailing a cab? It's so realistic, head to toe!
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