If you love pigeons, or at least have learned to live with them, the new aluminum behemoth that stands out on New York’s High Line will certainly do the trick. Colombian artist Iván Argote’s “Dinosaur” sculpture celebrates pigeons as the urban denizens New York “deserves,” eliciting mixed but certainly hilarious reactions. The giant pigeon, nearly five meters tall and weighing a ton, dominates the corner of 10th Avenue and 30th Street, inviting passersby to ponder who or what really deserves a pedestal in the city of skyscrapers.
Instead of heroes on horseback, leaders or conquerors, it is a humble pigeon that receives a monumental space, transforming a common “flying rat” into a symbol of resilience. Argote plays with monumentality and reverses the concept of who can be celebrated, showing how even the mundane can become iconic.
Like him, other artists have explored the theme of pigeons in their art: Maurizio Cattelan, for example, used pigeons as silent provocateurs in his installation “Others,” where he filled Milan’s Palazzo Reale with stuffed pigeons. His message? Highlighting the invisible but constant presence of these birds, which often go unnoticed but are an integral part of city life.
Banksy, known for his social engagement, also chose pigeons to denounce intolerance: in a 2014 work, he depicted pigeons protesting against a colorful bird, symbolizing xenophobia against “foreigners.” Banksy’s pigeons become spokespeople for a message of denunciation, demonstrating how even the humblest can carry powerful meanings.
With “Dinosaur,” Argote fits into this new artistic tradition, but with an eye toward New York City’s migrant identity. This feather and aluminum behemoth is not just a caricature of a common animal, but a tribute to all the “migrants” who have made the city what it is. Resilient, brazen, and ready to “step on toes” in order to stay in place, pigeons are the image
The article The king of rooftops gets giant in New York: art that makes you (literally) raise your beak comes from TheNewyorker.
