Client: Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum, Fuji-Sankei
Location: Utsukushi ga-hara Open Air Museum, Ueda, Nagano, Japan, Japan
Completion date: 1990
Project Team
Artist
Zenos Frudakis
Client
Nobutaka Shikanai
President, Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum
Fuji-Sankei Communications Group
Japanese Embassy, NYC
Consultant
Michael Kenny
Industry Resource
Laran Bronze Foundation
Overview
Two 7 foot high figures on 3 foot high stainless steel poles installed in the Japanese Alps at Hakone Open-Air Museum’s contemporary sister-museum.
Goals
I was the only American artist invited to participate in the Third Rodin Grand Prize Invitational Exhibition with this composition. The sculpture was selected by Nobutaka Shikanai, President of Utsukushi ga-hara Open Air Museum, where the exhibition was held.
Process
The bronze casts were made from existing molds created for Reaching’s first installation in Indianapolis, where it was the winner of a competition between 155 artists for site-specific work at Capital Center Plaza.
Additional Information
I was honored to receive the Hakone Award from the Museum for this work. It was purchased by the Museum and became part of its permanent collection. The Japanese press called me “The American Rodin.”
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