This reclining Statue of Liberty sculpture is the vibe we're going for this summer
After standing tall for 135 years, the Statue of Liberty is due for a rest—at least, according to artist Zaq Landsberg.
Landsberg just erected his own 25-foot-long Statue of Liberty in Morningside Park that lies in the grass—her hand supports her crowned head with a face that looks both peaceful and pained. Honestly, we get it. Lady Liberty is striking a pose we all can identify with right now.
The installation, called Reclining Liberty, went up last week with the help of Friends of Morningside Park, Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, LMCC (Lower Manhattan Cultural Council), New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation (UMEZ).
According to Landsberg, the sculpture, which is finished with copper paint and an oxidizing acid to mimic the real statue, takes the pose of the giant reclining Buddha statues in Asia. By merging the two symbols together, it forces the viewer to reconsider what the Statue of Liberty represents, which is what many of us have had to do this past year.
Photograph: Connie Lee / Zaq Landsberg's "Reclining Liberty, 2021"
