If you’ve driven down London’s Park Lane in the last week or two, you could hardly have failed to notice the giant hand, seemingly swooping down into the central grass reservation to grab a classic Fiat 500.
The huge, eye-catching sculpture – 4.6m tall and on loan from the Halcyon Gallery – is the work of Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn. Titled ‘Vroom Vroom’, it is part of Westminster Council’s City of Sculpture festival, and it aims to capture the essence of ‘the child within’.
The little black Fiat with its Rome number plate was the first car Quinn ever owned, and his sculpture was inspired by watching the way his small son played with a toy car.
Apparently it was no easy feat to get the sculpture installed – requiring road closures and diverted traffic in the heart of London – but rather than causing anger, everyone seems to love the sight of the exuberant artwork in such a busy urban setting. It is likely to remain on display in Park Lane until April.
Text: Charis Whitcombe
Photo / Video: Halcyon Gallery
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