A New Sculpture in San Sebastian

San Sebastian has a new sculpture . . . by Richard Serra, the famous San Francisco sculptor who is known for large scale pieces. The sculpture is not new, but it is new to San Sebastian. “Five Plates Counter Clockwise” was created in 1987 and used to be displayed in Bilbao at the Bellas Artes museum. As fans of Serra’s works, we went to see the new installation at the Palacio Miramar, which is a 19^th century palace near the center point of the La Concha bay.

I’m sad to say, we were disappointed, not so much with the sculpture, but more with the placement of the sculpture in the palacio gardens. The sculpture consists of five steel plates that are 1.7 by 2.5 meters leaning against each other, suggesting the movement of the arms of a clock, and forming a pentagon at the center. The problem is that the sculpture is too close to the palace itself so that the size of it is dwarfed. An odd choice because there are plenty of alternative spaces in the surrounding gardens. In addition, you can’t see the pentagon at the center because there is no vantage point from which to see it. In my opinion, San Sebastian could have done better. 

This town loves its sculptures. On one side of the bay is “Empty Construction” and on the other “The Comb of the Wind,” both by local sculptors. Thus, the idea of having a Serra set in the midpoint seemed a worthy addition. But as you can see, Five Plates can’t compete with these two when it can’t be experienced correctly:

Serra’s work is amazing and his permanent exhibition at the Guggenheim in Bilbao is always a highlight when we visit.

Walking through or around his sculptures is an experience that simply isn’t conveyed by Five Plates’ new location. But because the sculpture is so heavy, I don’t see it being repositioned anytime soon.

Hasta pronto,

Shana & Jeff