Jaume Plensa
ANNA
On the tallest hill stands Anna, whose immense yet meditatively serene appearance seems to exist away from the harsh light of reality. Just here, the line between material and spiritual worlds is erased. This monumental work by the Catalonian artist Jaume Plensa, is one of the world’s largest sculptures and a landmark on the Swedish west coast.
The monochrome white figure was created especially for Pilane. The features of the oblong head with slightly distorted proportions are intentionally idealised. Anna’s age is hard to determine, but she seems to immortalise those early moments that slip away when worries and experiences begin to impact on our lives. Her exquisite, contemplative face with eyes closed conveys a sense of concentration and exalted peacefulness. It is as if she had come down to us from a timeless dimension. The dreamy mood sends a message of hope and unlimited possibilities.
Both the happy and the dejected come to Pilane. Anna welcomes them all with the same serenity and is ready to share their joy and sorrow. Her silhouette is distinct against the sky when we first see her at a distance. As we approach, we sense the mysterious atmosphere that enfolds her. The sculpture transforms into a protective, mighty figure with a subtle power, like an intractable patron saint.
Jaume Plensa, born in 1955 in Barcelona, finds inspiration in poetry and music, and in the people he meets. He has worked in traditional materials such as glass, steel and bronze, but also in more unusual media, including water and light. Plensa often plays with shadows, transparency and shifting scales. He has exhibited at galleries and museums all over the world and received numerous awards and prizes for his art. Plensa is represented at the Art Museum in Miami, Millennium Park in Chicago, the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle, MACBA Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, and other institutions. His sculptures are found in public places in Sweden, Spain, France, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Canada and the USA.