Blue Dragon Sculpture By Swedish Artists Ulla & Gustav Kraitz To Be Unveiled At Entrance To Roosevelt Island's Southpoint Park Tuesday April 26 - Beginning Of Island Of Art For Roosevelt Island

 Image From RIOC

Roosevelt Island is on its way to becoming the Island Of Art described by Gallery RIVAA's Tad Sudol. 

Tomorrow, April 26, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) and Gallery RIVAA will host an unveiling ceremony for the Blue Dragon sculpture

Blue Dragon At Southpoint Park Entrance With RIOC Staff & Tad Sudol From Gallery RIVAA

 by Swedish artists Ulla And Gustav Kraitz

 Image of Gustav & Ulla Kraitz From Wikipedia

at the entrance to Southpoint Park.

Image Of Blue Dragon Sculpture From Gallery RIVAA

Roosevelt Island's Gallery RIVAA reports:

Please join us for the unveiling ceremony of the BLUE DRAGON sculpture, donated to Roosevelt Island by world renowned Swedish artists Ulla and Gustav Kraitz, on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at 11am at Southpoint Park Entrance.

The BLUE DRAGON embarked on a long voyage to its new home, departing from Hamburg, Germany on March 6, 2016 and arriving on Roosevelt Island on March 30, 2016. Cut from a Swedish quarry, the polished black granite diabase sculpture weighs just over 4,400 lbs. (2,000 k) and is 10 feet long.

Ulla & Gustav Kraitz, whose careers have been interwoven since their marriage in 1961, are among the world’s foremost sculptors and ceramicists, having their work featured in nearly 100 exhibitions internationally, including the United States; in Washington D.C., Chicago, and New York. The technique they have developed for firing large pieces in kilns modeled after those of the ancient Chinese style has allowed them to achieve shimmering ceramics in classic glazes, such as oxblood, cobalt, and celadon.

Elizabeth Stapien, Tad Sudol & RIOC Staff Resting On Blue Dragon From Gallery RIVAA

RIOC issued this April 18 press release about the Blue Dragon sculpture:

A dedication ceremony for the Blue Dragon sculpture, donated to Roosevelt Island by world renowned Swedish artists Ulla and Gustav Kraitz, will be held at Southpoint Park on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at 11 a.m.

The Blue Dragon embarked on a long voyage to its new home, departing from Hamburg, Germany on March 6, 2016 and arriving on Roosevelt Island on March 30, 2016.

Images From RIOC

Cut from a Swedish quarry, the polished black granite diabase sculpture weighs just over 4,400 lbs. (2,000 k) and is 10 feet long.

In May of 2014, while working on repairs at the Wallenberg Monument, Hungarian-born Swedish sculptor, Gustav Kraitz was given a tour of Roosevelt Island by local resident Elisabeth Stapen and Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association (RIVAA) president, Tad Sudol. Kraitz was very taken by the island’s beauty, history, and family atmosphere.

“He’d made a few children’s sculptures, including the Blue Dragon which he’d initially intended to sell to a museum.” Stapen recounts. “It was quite a bit of fate, his visit to the island. Right then he decided to donate a sculpture.”

Sudol adds, “When we gave Gustav a tour of the island, including the RIVAA Gallery and the murals at Motorgate Gallery, he saw not only the uniqueness of our location between Queens and Manhattan, but also our vision of being a community for art and embraced it. That was something! This famous artist donating his work to our small but vibrant community.”

Image Of Tad Sudol At Blue Dragon Site From RIOC

Susan Rosenthal, acting President/CEO & General Counsel of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC), says, “After many months of coordination with the Kraitz’s and RIVAA, a scenic location in Southpoint Park was chosen to display this generous gift, which we are delighted to accept from our neighbors across the Atlantic. Positioned directly towards the United Nations, the Blue Dragon is flowing out to the East River, connecting it to Kraitz’s symbol of hope.”

Ulla & Gustav Kraitz, whose careers have been interwoven since their marriage in 1961, are among the world’s foremost sculptors and ceramicists, having their work featured in nearly 100 exhibitions internationally, including the United States; in Washington D.C., Chicago, and New York. The technique they have developed for firing large pieces in kilns modeled after those of the ancient Chinese style has allowed them to achieve shimmering ceramics in classic glazes, such as oxblood, cobalt, and celadon.

RIOC and RIVAA are honored that the Roosevelt Island community has been presented with this gift. Visitors and residents alike will enjoy the Blue Dragon as a beautiful new landmark and a continuing representation of the island’s commitment to the arts.

Gallery RIVAA's Tad Sudol made this October 2015 presentation of his idea for an Island Of Art on Roosevelt Island to the RIOC Board Of Directors.



More Roosevelt Island art plans here too.