About the work

Ugo Rondinone’s monumental sculpture evokes the solar wheel that is blind during the winter. Positioned at the heart of the exhibition, it forms a ring around its northern and southern parts. This winter sun, comprised of interwoven branches in bronze, could appear here as being pulled by Apollo’s chariot from the distant horizon of the terraces. In this way, it shines a spotlight on that which Louis XIV wished to hide from view: the essential fragility of existence preyed upon by life’s uncontrollable alterations. The metamorphosis of nature that runs through all of the works on the trail, like water, resonates in his vegetation-themed motifs.

About the artist

Born in 1964 in Brunnen, Switzerland, Ugo Rondinone lives and works in New York, United States of America.

Ugo Rondinone explores the spectrum of emotions that punctuate every human life, bringing enchantment and melancholy in equal measure to those who view his works. As a whole, Rondinone’s work is nourished by an examination of nature and life cycles, the vanity of all existence, and the recurrence of magical moments that almost escape time. “Nature is my religion and my best friend,” he writes. Like a romantic artist, he wanders back and forth between nature and cities, drawing the necessary resources from the former to challenge today’s consumer society.

The artist website