Peter Regli, “Snow Monsters” (2015) (all photos by the author for Hyperallergic)
Serendipitously anticipating the city’s underwhelming blizzard, a troupe of marble snowmen — the latest installment in Swiss artist Peter Regli’s Reality Hacking series — was installed in Manhattan near Madison Square Park this past Sunday.
The piece, titled “Snow Monsters,” injects life into the heart of the Flatiron District’s slush-filled streets. The group of 12 drooping, semi-melted snowmen with slightly manic expressions encourages its audience to turn the inconvenience of snowfall into a spectacle. Tourists and locals, stumbling upon the sculptures on Tuesday afternoon, paused their commutes and snow day revelries to interact with the figures, climbing on them and posing for photos.
In the artist’s words, “I chose the snowman because of its Buddha-like nature. They appear briefly in the world, bring joy and evoke memories of childhood, then disappear again, melting away without complaint.” Happily, these snowmen will remain long after his week’s snow melts away.
Peter Regli, “Snow Monsters” (2015)
Peter Regli, “Snow Monsters” (2015)
Peter Regli, “Snow Monsters” (2015)
Peter Regli, “Snow Monsters” (2015)
Peter Regli, “Snow Monsters” (2015)
Peter Regli’s Snow Monsters remains on view in Flatiron Plaza (23rd Street at Fifth Avenue, Manhattan) through March 13.
