‘Bengaluru’s Soul’: Spanish artist Jaume Plensa’s language-inspired sculpture unveiled at city airport

Explaining the thought process behind his artwork in response to a question from indianexpress.com, said, “It is very important to introduce beauty in everyday life, in the life of people. My intention was to mix up many of my experiences in talking about people. To talk about people, for me, is to use the representation of language. When you are with your mother, she is talking to you in a specific way, and that is your country.”

He added, “An airport is the border. It is the link of one place with the world… my piece is trying to represent that.”

His unique outlook on art was also apparent in his response to a query about the time the project took. “Seventy years and nine months,” he replied with a laugh.

Also present at the unveiling were IT Minister Priyank Kharge and Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. Biocon’s corporate social responsibility arm funded the sculpture.

Speaking to members of the media, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said, “What Jaume Plensa brings to every city is a wow moment…a few years after I met him, I invited him to India. He had never been here, and he loved India. I said that we should do something to bring Plensa to Bangalore – and that is how we commissioned this piece.”

She added, “We are a city which is very cosmopolitan, and the fact that we are a tech hub, Jaume has put it all together in his imagination. I think it is a wonderful masterpiece. I am very proud of it, and I am sure the city will be very proud of it.”