| World Trade Center Plaza Sculpture | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The sculpture in 1976 withThe Sphere visible on the right.Ideogram is on the left. | |
| Artist | Masayuki Nagare |
| Year | 1972–2001 |
| Dimensions | 4.3 m × 10 m × 5.2 m (14 ft × 34 ft × 17 ft) |
| Condition | Destroyed during the cleanup |
TheWorld Trade Center Plaza Sculpture, also calledCloud Fortress, was a sculpture created byJapanese artistMasayuki Nagare in 1975. It was located at theWorld Trade Center complex at theChurch Street entrance to theAustin J. Tobin Plaza.[1]
Having survived theSeptember 11 attacks, the sculpture was demolished during subsequent emergency efforts to access and clear the site.[2][3]
Measuring 14 feet (4.3 m) tall, 34 feet (10 m) wide, and 17 feet (5.2 m) deep,[1]Cloud Fortresswas completed in 1975 and depicted an abstraction of two pyramids attached at their bases and tilted upward. Although appearing solid, the work consisted of a veneer of black Swedish granite over a steel and concrete armature.
Nagare incorporated a technique he called 'ware hada', literallycracked skin orbroken texture, to feature contrasting polished and rough faces.[2]
ThePort Authority allocated up to 1% of theWorld Trade Center construction cost to the purchase of art for the complex, and established an advisory group to recommend and commission artwork.[1]
Completed in 1975,Cloud Fortress occupied a minor plaza between buildings4 and5 that gave access from Church Street to the largeAustin J. Tobin Plaza central to the complex of World Trade Center buildings.
The sculpture survived the immediate attacks andcollapse of the adjacent buildings, but was demolished several days later by emergency efforts to access and clear the site[2] and provide a stable area for heavy machinery to further access Austin J. Tobin Plaza. Following the sculpture's demolition, its remains were removed from Ground Zero along with the rest of the rubble. None of its remains have been identified or recovered since.[3]
In 2004, Nagare created a one-half replica and named it "Cloud Fortress Jr."("雲の砦Jr."). It is on display atHokkaido Museum of Modern Art.[4]