NEW YORK, NY.- The Standard, New York presents a new large-scale sculpture by the Austrian artist Erwin Wurm for the hotel’s Plaza. Known for his uniquely humorous approach to formalism, Erwin Wurm is a leading contemporary artist who has exhibited widely throughout Europe, Asia, and America. "Big Kastenmann," Wurm’s first work of public art in New York, will be installed in front of The Standard, New York from July 23rd through November 2nd, 2012.

The commissioned work, "Big Kastenmann" which translates to “big box man,” is an 18-foot tall, cast aluminum sculpture with brushed metal legs supporting a polished body with no head, lending the giant figure a surrealist feel. The torso of the sculpture is partially coated in dripping pink enamel paint. The work was forged in the Strassacker foundry in Sussen, Germany, and is a monumental version of the artist’s “Kastenmann” from 2010. The artwork is produced in conjunction with Wurm’s New York gallery, Lehmann Maupin.

"My work is very much about interaction, and The Standard’s location and the size of the work ensure that "Big Kastenmann" will be accessible to many people, which is the essence of public art," states Wurm.

The Plaza at The Standard, New York has become a meeting place for New Yorkers and visitors from around the world. The inventive seasonal offerings for the Plaza at The Standard aim to capture the surrounding community’s imagination; from a winter ice rink and Skatehaus to last summer’s installation of a massive sculptural work by KAWS entitled “Companion (Passing Through),” which will now be reimagined as a balloon in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

This summer, in addition to Wurm’s public art installation, The Standard has transformed the Plaza into a new outdoor restaurant, offering Mediterranean cuisine courtesy of James Beard Award nominated chef Seamus Mullen of Tertulia.

The Standard frequently collaborates with artists on publications, products, installations, and events throughout its network of properties and shops. Standard Press has published books by Andrew Kuo, Dzine, and JR & José Parlá. The Shop at The Standard has produced editions with artists including Julia Chiang, Wes Lang, Tomokazu Matsuyama, Ryan McGinness, KAWS, and Jose Parla, among others.

In conjunction with the "Big Kastenmann" commission, The Standard has released a limited edition print, "Pee on Someone’s Rug," 2003, from Erwin Wurm’s series "Instructions on how to be politically incorrect." These are available for 2,000 USD through The Standard, New York’s Shop or online at standardhotel.com.

An exhibition of works by Erwin Wurm entitled "Beauty Business" is currently on view at Dallas Contemporary through August 2012. This fall, Lehmann Maupin will present a solo exhibition of new work from November 1, 2012 to January 5, 2013 at the gallery’s 540 West 26th Street location in New York City. The artist will also take part in a group show entitled "Funny" at the Flag Art Foundation from September 21 through December 15, 2012.

Erwin Wurm
Erwin Wurm was born in 1954 in Bruck an der Mur/Styria, Austria. Wurm has exhibited extensively with shows at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia (2005); Musée d’Art Contemporain de Lyon, France (2007); Konstmuseum Malmö, Sweden (2008); Kunstmuseum St. Gallen, Switzerland (2008); the Moscow Biennial (2009); Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China (2010); Kunstmuseum Bonn, Germany (2010); the Museum of Modern Art, New York (2010); the 54th Venice Biennale, Italy (2011); and most recently, "Erwin Wurm: Beauty Business" at the Bass Museum of Art, Miami, Florida, and Dallas Contemporary, Texas (2011).

Works by Erwin Wurm can be found in prestigious collections throughout the world including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany; Kunstmuseum St. Gallen, Switzerland; Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon, France; and Centre Pompidou, France. Erwin Wurm lives and works in Vienna, Austria.