I was just getting off the Ed Koch Queensboro bridge heading into Manhattan when I couldn’t believe what I saw before my eyes.
The famous life-size sculpture Lunchtime on a Skyscraper by Sergio Furnari mounted onto a black pickup truck. The Sicilian artist living right here in the heart of New York City has inspired many with what his work represents and how it defines Furnari as a person.
Born and raised in Caltagirone, Sicily Italy he was just at the age of five when Furnari’s passion took hold of him, and began to draw and sculpt. His dedication brought him to go after opportunities at such a young age which helped him progress to where he is now. Just after art school, he would head to his job at a sculpting factory where he’d spend most of his hours committing to what brought joy for Furnari.
Drawn by the lights and the towering skyscrapers, Furnari first came to New York City at the age of twenty only to learn about the immigrant ironworkers behind these tall buildings. This deepened his love and appreciation for the city and influenced his passion even more for what mark Furnari wanted to make with his art moving forward, he wanted to make art for “Regular hard-working people with their own joy and sadness in life.”
Inspired by the famous 1932 photograph Lunchtime Atop a Skyscraper of the eleven ironworkers having lunch on a beam during construction of the Rockefeller Center. He saw them as our American immigrant heroes and finished his life-size Lunchtime on Skyscraper in 2001, this tribute was just the start of getting his name out there.
While continuing to create opportunities for himself, Furnari mounts his 20-feet bronze statues onto a dodge pickup truck and travels across the United States showcasing what we all know isn’t just his masterpiece but a mobile emblem. He wanted people to see what he was capable of and how he can impact the world.
These eleven life-size bronze sculptures are just as magnificent upfront as it is shown on Furnari’s website and all over past news articles. What I loved the most about seeing it was how random it was!
I was just first getting to know Furnari as an artist when they removed his 3,000-pound red metal heart from times square which was another monumental sculpture. Furnari wanted this to be a safe place for people who have suffered the most during the pandemic.
Another way of showing the people how Furnari views his fans and his community. As an artist this is important because like art it should always reflect the time it was made to understand why it was made in the first place, and how it moved its audiences.
Sergio Furnari has a passion for showing others how much he cares and gives for the world, and with hopes he is recognized more for his work CiaoArte helps to give recognition to the Italians of New York showing their dedication for the city.