TITLE: Untitled (Faces)
ARTIST: Ellerbe Associates
DATE: 1986
MATERIALS: wood, metal, stone
DIMENSIONS: 11′ x 2.5′ x 1′
TYPE: sculpture
Untitled (Faces) consists of an archway with lion faces, a low wall with alternating cherubs and lions, and a tree stump with a face, a sun, and a moon. Livening up the plaza, the work opens up the possibility for creative interaction with the building and leisurely play. How many faces can you count? In moments of stress and insecurity, sometimes the greatest gift art can give us is a brief respite—a welcome escape into a world of imagination and fantasy.
The plaza, designed as a place for patients and visitors to relax and eat, was created by Ellerbe Associates of Bloomington, Minnesota as part of the $56 million expansion on Riley Hospital for Children in 1986. The wall of the plaza was a part of this expansion, with Ellerbe incorporating red brick into the design to commemorate Riley Hospital for Children’s first building.