Donald Lipski - Spot (2018)
Reinforced, UV-resistant fiberglass, steel, Toyota Prius.
For NYULH Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, artist Donald Lipski created Spot, an artwork that consists of a larger than life Dalmatian balancing a taxi on her nose. As Lipski explains,
"I wanted to make something so astounding it would distract even those arriving for the most serious procedures, and so lovable that young patients coming back again and again with chronic conditions would see it as an old friend. I like to think that the parents, the doctors and nurses and staff, the neighbors, will all be smitten by this playful, heroic young dog doing the impossible. Art has actual healing power. That's a fact! It's a privilege to be able to de this for the kids." Spot speaks to the whimsy, warmth, and welcoming feeling of the work. In addition, the breed is known for its stamina and endurance, giving a sense of hope and strength to those approaching the hospital.
The taxi, a Toyota Prius-a hybrid car, acts both as an icon for New York City and a symbol for sustainability.
Toyota Prius courtesy of Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
Donald Lipski is an artist who is best known for his large-scale works of art for public spaces. Some of his most recognizable sculptures include: The Yearling, a giant chair with a life size horse made of fiberglass on its seat, located outside the Denver Public Library, and Sirshasana, a sculptural chandelier depicting an upside olive tree with thousands of hand-faceted Austrian crystals hanging in the Grand Central Market at Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Lipski holds an MEA in Ceramics from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He lives and works in New York City.