UNC Charlotte Center City is home to new Jaume Plensa sculpture

Queen’s Table dedicated the sculpture “Ainsa III” by artist Jaume Plensa at UNC Charlotte Center City on Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Created in Barcelona, Spain, by the world-renowned artist, the sculpture was commissioned especially for the site by Queen’s Table, an anonymous group that previously has donated six different sculptures to Charlotte’s public spaces during the past 30 years.

Embodying Plensa’s idea of a universal language, “Ainsa III” is made of die-cut stainless steel letters from nine alphabets from around the world, each letter was selected by the artist for its aesthetic beauty. The letters were hand-assembled to form the silhouette of a seated figure in continuous flow. The stone base of “Ainsa III” is from the town of Ainsa near the Spanish Pyrenees, a place the artist often visits.

“UNC Charlotte is honored to exhibit the new sculpture by Jaume Plensa, one of the world’s foremost artists,” said Chancellor Philip L. Dubois. “Having ‘Ainsa lll’ reside at UNC Charlotte Center City further connects the University to the cultural fabric of our city. We applaud the efforts of Queen’s Table for commissioning Plensa’s work and for displaying it at UNC Charlotte.”

Jamie McLawhorn, Queen’s Table projects chair, said, “Our entire committee felt the way Plensa’s work blends contemporary with traditional materials and the human form of sculpture was very appropriate for the site. His use of letters from the nine international alphabets embraces many cultures, which is a core value of our city.”

Located on a newly renovated plaza of UNC Charlotte Center City, the sculpture site was chosen for its high visibility and adjacency to the forthcoming First Ward Park.

Earlier Tuesday, the College of Arts + Architecture and UNC Charlotte Center City hosted a lecture by the acclaimed artist. Plensa discussed the trajectory of his career as a sculptor; his work can be seen around the world, including London, Paris, Chicago, Madrid, Dubai, Singapore, Jerusalem, Shanghai, Toronto and Miami.

Plensa has received numerous awards for his art, including the Velasquez Prize in 2014, bestowed by the King and Queen of Spain to recognize him as the most important contemporary artist in Spain, credited with expanding the traditional form of figural sculpture.