Water's Soul Explained

Water's Soul
Artist:Jaume Plensa
Year:2020
official opening October 19, 2021
Type:Polyester resin fiberglass
Height Imperial:80
Imperial Unit:ft
Metric Unit:m
City:Hudson River Waterfront Walkway
Jersey City, New Jersey
Coordinates:40.7309°N -74.0283°W

Water's Soul is a sculpture along the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway in the Newport section of Jersey City.[1] It depicts a woman with closed eyes holding a finger to her lips in a state of silent contemplation and self-reflection. The work was conceived by Jaume Plensa and commissioned by LeFrak and Simon Property Group. Made of polyester resin, fiberglass, and marble dust, the work is white and stands 80feet tall. It faces the Hudson River and the New York City skyline.[2] <[3] [4] [5] It was created at Plensa's Barcelona studio and shipped in 23 containers, each 40feet feet long, to the site.[6]

Of the work, Plensa stated, "It is my wish for Water’s Soul to become an icon for Newport and a landmark that visually connects it with New York City across the Hudson River. Just as Water’s Soul acts to unite the city of Jersey City and New York City, we are reminded that water is the great public space that unites and embraces communities as well as people around the world."[7] "The water, when it moves, makes a special sound, very special," Plensa said in an interview, suggesting the sculpture's message is "to keep silent...to listen to the profound noise of the water talking to us."[8]

In popular culture

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Which City is Most Expensive for Renters? You Might be Surprised . The New York Times . 28 July 2022 . Chen . Stefanos .
  2. Web site: Water's Soul: Bringing a sense of serenity to an 'incredibly noisy time'. Ron . Zeitlinger . The Jersey Journal. September 28, 2021.
  3. News: Lefrak, Simon announce public art unveiling in Newport. Hudson Reporter. September 21, 2021.
  4. Web site: LeFrak and Simon unveil 'Water's Soul' sculpture at Jersey City's Newport Pier. John. Heinis. September 20, 2021.
  5. News: 'Water's Soul': Massive white sculpture makes a statement in New York harbor. Szekely. Peter. October 19, 2021. Reuters. https://web.archive.org/web/20211020015805/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/waters-soul-massive-white-sculpture-makes-statement-new-york-harbor-2021-10-19/. October 20, 2021. live. limited.
  6. Web site: New 80-Foot Sculpture Comes To Jersey City's Newport Waterfront. September 20, 2021. Jersey City Patch.
  7. Web site: Jaume Plensa: Water's Soul ~ a Permanent Installation in Newport Pier Park, NJ. Lieberman, Lynn. GothamToGo. September 23, 2021. November 4, 2021. September 23, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210923200008/https://gothamtogo.com/jaume-plensa-waters-soul-a-permanent-installation-in-newport-pier-park-nj/.
  8. Web site: What is The Meaning Behind the New 80-Foot Sculpture on Jersey City's Pier?. Ronnie. Koenig. October 28, 2021.