Celebrated sculptor Leo Villareal will debut his next masterpiece, “BUCKYBALL,” in Madison Square Park this fall. The 30-foot-tall piece will illuminate the park with a brightly colored depiction of a giant carbon-60 molecule.
In this piece, Villareal, known for his sophisticated fusion of LED lights and computer programming, will build two spheres—one contained within the other—containing 180 LED tubes that can display 16 million distinct colors that will bring vibrancy to the park after dark.
Born 1967, Villareal received his Bachelor of Arts in sculpture from Yale University and his graduate degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Villareal’s work has appeared at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Museum of Modern Art, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
The inspiration for this latest piece comes from Buckminster Fuller, a renowned 20th century inventor who was known for his work with geodesic domes. Villareal believes that the piece will trigger neurological processes in the viewer’s brain and tap into the natural human impulse to identify patterns and meaning. To encourage such processes, the sculpture will be surrounded by couches to allow visitors to rest below the artwork.
The installation, which will remain in the park from Oct. 25 to February 2013, will follow Charles Long’s art installation that includes a series of vibrating pipes throughout the park, which will be on display through Sept. 9.
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