Walking to the Sky

Walking to the Sky. It is a monumental public sculpture created by American artist Jonathan Borofsky. The work depicts a group of life-sized, realistically painted figures striding purposefully up a towering, inclined stainless steel pole, appearing to walk into the sky. First installed at Rockefeller Center in New York City in 2004, the sculpture has been the subject of significant public discourse and has been displayed at several major institutions, including the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Description and composition

The sculpture consists of a 100-foot-long, 3-inch-diameter polished stainless steel pole set at a 75-degree angle, ascending from a plaza or lawn. Along its length are eleven life-sized figures, each approximately 5 to 6 feet tall, crafted from fiberglass and resin and painted with meticulous realism. The group includes men, women, children, and a businesswoman, all captured in mid-stride with varied expressions of determination, contemplation, and wonder. The arrangement is not sequential; some figures are clustered near the base while others are positioned higher, creating a dynamic sense of a shared, upward journey. The work's engineering required precise calculations for balance and wind resistance, with its foundation anchored deep into the ground to support the substantial cantilevered weight.

Creation and commissioning

Jonathan Borofsky conceived the piece in the early 2000s, expanding on his long-standing artistic themes of human aspiration, dreams, and shared humanity seen in works like Molecule Man and Hammering Man. The commission for the initial installation was a collaborative effort involving the Public Art Fund, a non-profit organization known for presenting contemporary art in public spaces across New York City. The work was fabricated by a team of skilled artisans at Lippincott, LLC, a renowned fabricator for artists such as Claes Oldenburg and Louise Bourgeois. Its debut was timed for a major public exhibition at Rockefeller Center in the fall of 2004, a site historically associated with ambitious architectural and artistic projects like those of Diego Rivera and Paul Manship.

Critical reception and interpretation

Upon its unveiling, the sculpture generated polarized reactions from art critics and the public. Reviews in publications like The New York Times and The New Yorker ranged from praise for its bold, optimistic metaphor to criticism of its perceived literalness or sentimentality. Many interpreted it as a poignant response to the post-September 11 attacks climate, symbolizing resilience, hope, and the human quest for progress. Art historians often discuss it within the context of Modern sculpture and public art's role in civic life, drawing connections to the aspirational forms in the work of Constantin Brâncuși and the communal narratives of Auguste Rodin. The inclusion of ordinary people from diverse backgrounds led to interpretations focusing on collective endeavor and the universal nature of human ambition.

Related works and legacy

*Walking to the Sky* is a central part of Jonathan Borofsky's oeuvre, thematically linked to his other large-scale public sculptures that feature human figures engaged in symbolic acts. Its most direct conceptual relative is *Man Walking to the Sky*, a smaller, single-figure version from 1995 permanently installed in Berlin, Germany. The sculpture's imagery of ascent resonates with a long art historical tradition, from the mythological *Tower of Babel* to the photographic series *The Great Wall of Los Angeles*. Its public nature has inspired community engagement projects and educational programs at its hosting institutions, influencing contemporary dialogues about Site-specific art and accessibility. The work has been featured in surveys of 21st-century public art and continues to be a reference point in discussions about art in the aftermath of national trauma.

Location and relocation history

The sculpture's primary installation was at Rockefeller Center in New York from September 2004 to February 2005. Following this highly publicized display, it was acquired by the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas, where it was installed on its grounds in 2005. In 2006, the work found a long-term home at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, following a gift from board member and philanthropist Henry L. Hillman. It is now permanently sited on the university's main lawn, adjacent to iconic campus buildings like the College of Fine Arts and near other public artworks. The relocation to an academic setting was intended to align the sculpture's theme of aspiration with the mission of the institution, and it has since become a notable landmark for the campus and the city of Pittsburgh.

Category:2004 sculptures Category:Sculptures by Jonathan Borofsky Category:Public art in New York City Category:Public art in Pittsburgh Category:Carnegie Mellon University