The first of the
outdoor art installations in the
Artlantic project was created by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov and Kiki Smith. You can admire it in the illustration above and read artists’ take on the piece below.
Visit Atlantic City to explore this and
other outdoor art installations throughout the city.
“The first Artlantic site is formed by two grass mounds interwoven into a giant earthwork that not only expresses its own sculptural quality, but also creates a unique setting for Robert Barry’s illuminated text piece. More than 20 inspiring words, including “Wonder,” “Glorious,” and “Possible,” engage Atlantic City’s bright lights in an informal dialogue, giving a new interpretation of the boardwalk’s bold signage. Entering the space encircled by the landform, whose two components slope down to the earth like two arms embracing the space within, visitors will find a serene natural environment, sheltered from the noise of the city. Two open spaces, walled by 14-foot-high, undulating terraces covered in native grasses and wildflowers, house installations designed by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov and Kiki Smith. The Kabakovs’ playful pirate ship rises out of the ground, evoking the sunken ships that line the ocean floor off the New Jersey coast. Visitors are encouraged to climb aboard and explore the secrets of the half-submerged vessel. Kiki Smith’s lush garden is entirely composed of brilliant red foliage—plants covered in red flowers, red berries, or red leaves at various times of the year. This sanctuary centers around a life-size version of Smith’s charcoal-colored bronze sculpture, Her, in which a woman tenderly cradling a doe alludes to an embrace between humanity and the natural world.” - Lance Fung
“This installation brings together light, space, and time. I like to take into consideration the situation of the words and their place—mood, weather, and the fact that people have to walk around to see the whole thing and physically partake in it. It becomes part of the environment, and hopefully people will be able to interact in an individual and personal way. My work is not isolated within galleries and museums but functions as part of an overall situation, with these ideas extending out into the world” -Robert Barry
‘‘This project has been a very interesting experiment for us. Atlantic City is not a place you might associate with public art, but definitely with “treasures.” And what could be better than discovery, the element of surprise, the thrill of finding a pirate ship? The dream of travel, adventure, and all the pirate stories—these are treasures of the past in today’s Atlantic City.” -Ilya and Emilia Kabakov
“I made a statue of a woman standing, holding a deer. The deer lays back on the woman’s neck. There is no space between them. Her fur is against her skin. We are intimate animals. She is a red plant. Her eyes are diamond, exposed and clear.” -Kiki Smith
Participating artists: Robert Barry, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, Kiki Smith
Participating landscape designer: Balmori Associates