The Guardians: Hero and Superhero, by acclaimed Italian architect and designer Antonio Pio Saracino, are new public sculptures that represent two legendary civic heroes. The pair of 13-foot-high statues, one in marble and the other in mirror polished stainless steel, will be positioned at the north and south ends of the public plaza at 1095 Avenue of the Americas at Bryant Park between 41st and 42nd Streets. The Guardians symbolize past and present and are consistent with Saracino?s (b. 1976, Puglia, Italy) overarching aim to combine digitally generated architectural compositions with a powerful, timeless message of resiliency and innovation. The sculptures will be installed at the end of November 2013, and will be celebrated with an opening reception on December 10, 2013. They will remain on view indefinitely, creating a new landmark in the center of Manhattan.
Throughout his career, Saracino has designed buildings, monuments, and modern furniture, and his work is part of prominent museum collections internationally. In early 2013, Saracino was presented with two new opportunities: to produce a symbol of Italy in New York on the occasion of the Year of Italian Culture in the U.S., and to create a public art project for the plaza at 1095 Avenue of the Americas at Bryant Park. His idea, The Guardians: Hero and Superhero, is the answer to both. Hero is a gift from Italy to the United States, donated by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Embassy of Italy, Washington, D.C.; and the Consulate General of Italy, New York; with the support of the worldwide energy company Eni. Superhero is commissioned by Equity Office, at 1095 Avenue of the Americas.
Saracino's 8,000-pound marble Hero, which is a reinterpretation of Michelangelo?s David, defender of the city of Florence, will gaze uptown from 42nd Street as a protector from the past. Its counterpart, Superhero, who dons a cape as an icon of the present, watches over downtown from 41st Street. It is made of stainless steel and weighs 15,000 pounds. Both sculptures are fabricated in New York City.Videos