Public Art

Angel of Unity

The work was part of the Los Angeles public art project called “Community of Angels”.  It was prominently placed on the highly visible intersection of 110 and 101 freeways in Downtown Los Angeles.  It was installed on September 11, 2002 to mark the first year anniversary of 9/11.  Originally the installation was planned for six months, but was extended to two years.

The work is based on the belief, that the Idea of Unity is the most relevant factor for today’s reality.

The depiction of an Angel dramatically represents the vision of a Messenger, which is closely shared by the three main monotheistic religions of the world – Judaism, Christianity and Islam as well as by a significant number of world cultures. It symbolizes one’s powerful, deeply personal encounter with an internal spiritual presence.

The Angel has six otherworldly, multi-colored wings, with three pairs of eyes on the open insides: blue Caucasian eyes, dark Asian eyes, and dark Middle-Eastern eyes. The hair of the Angel transforms into the flames of a non-consuming fire behind its head.

The Angel is standing on a pile of rubble – broken concrete and metal, a scene that has become all too familiar in recent times. Between the feathers of the wings and behind the rubble is the silhouette of a non-specific city under a starry night sky.

The rubble and the figure rest on a circular foundation, and on its ledge are written the words “Out of Suffering and Despair to Unity and Inspiration.”  Alone with English it is written in Hebrew and Arabic as well.

The idea of the work is to compel the viewer to contemplate the unbearable contradiction between the exaltation of lofty spiritual vision and the wrenching devastation of reality, to grasp and to realize the clear alternative of either accepting what is shared in common or to face the inevitable destruction by fighting over what separates. At the same time it conveys the inspirational massage of cultural tolerance, acceptance and respect, affirms the concept of Unity and a commonly shared vision as prevailing over forces of prejudices, hatred and destruction.

“ANGEL OF UNITY” 2002 86” X 48” X 48” fiberglass, wood, acrylic, polymer resin

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