TOVAR The Chair

TOVAR The Chair is the latest sculpture to arrive in New York’s Times Square, marking a milestone in the city’s public art. This gigantic sculpture, 4 meters high, is the work of the late Dominican surrealist artist Ivan Tovar. It will be on display during National Hispanic Heritage Month as a tribute to the artist’s legacy and to New York’s 800,000-strong Dominican community.

The piece is an enlarged version of the work “La Chaise Adulte,” which Tovar created in 1969.The sculpture, made of stainless steel, depicts nude human figures, male and female, intertwined in a surrealistic manner, forming a throne-like chair.Its striking design reflects the unique style of Tovar, who over the course of his career created more than 1,000 works, all filled with his deep and emotional visual language.

Héctor José Rizek, one of the organizers of the installation, noted that Iván Tovar channeled his concerns and obsessions through his art, creating pieces that, although unique, are part of a universal visual language full of symbolism and emotion.According to Rizek, TOVAR The Chair represents a powerful way to bring that artistic vision to a wider public, allowing his legacy to transcend private spaces and museums, reaching the public and everyday environment.

In addition to the sculpture, visitors will be able to walk through a 15-meter screen-printed chronology that narrates Tovar’s artistic trajectory. The installation not only offers an impressive visual experience, but also invites the public to reflect on the transcendence of art in public space and its ability to connect cultures and generations.

The installation was on display at Broadway Plaza, between 45th and 46th Streets and 7th Avenue, from September 15 through November 15, 2024.

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