Arts Travel: Roses Bloom on Park Avenue

“The Roses” are meant to give viewers a “bug’s eye view” of the world along Park Avenue in Manhattan from January to May 2011. Credit: WR Studios Inc.

New sculptures will soon sprout along iconic Park Avenue in New York City. Debuting January 2011, eight clusters of colorful roses will be installed on the malls between 57th and 67th Streets. The public art exhibition, titled “The Roses,” will feature vivid pink and red roses climbing up to 25 feet high, towering over streetlights and New York City traffic.

The artist, Will Ryman, son of minimalist painter Robert Ryman, is an expert in creating large sculptures made from non-traditional materials. “The Roses” will be five to 10 feet in diameter, and constructed from stainless steel, fiberglass resin, automotive paint and brass. The installation is designed to give viewers a “bug’s-eye-view” of the flowers.

Presented by the New York City’s Department of Parks & Recreation and The Fund for Park Avenue’s sculpture committee, the vibrant roses will be on view through May. “Flowers in January are exactly what we need on a cold, winter day,” says Barbara McLaughlin, president of the Fund for Park Avenue. “It will help us all get through the season a lot easier.”