YOU may not know it but visual artist JEFRË has already made you look.
Unveiled last week along Edsa, at the façade of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong, was a towering art installation that has captured the attention and imagination of the general public. The 12-meter-tall artwork made of mirror stainless steel resembles a human figure looking at its watch, consumed by the mad pace of living in an urban spread like Metro Manila.
Titled Time Sculpture, the piece is a collaboration between SM Supermalls and US-based Filipino artist Jefre Manuel Figueras, simply known as JEFRË, who is on a mission to help shape the identities of localities worldwide through art.
“Cities are always defined by public art, just like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Statue of Liberty in New York City,” JEFRË says in a statement.
Born and raised in Chicago, the artist traces his Filipino roots to his parents’ home provinces of Laguna and Ilocos Sur. He was a former urban planner and designer before shifting into public art.
JEFRË focuses on creating modern, site-specific artworks that celebrate local history and culture. His landmark creations are located around the world, including London, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Abu Dhabi and San Antonio.
In the Philippines, JEFRË’s new head-turner on Edsa is just the latest in his growing list of impressive artworks. His most recognizable pieces around these parts include the Tree of Life in Robinsons Place Naga, the Sculpture Contour Series at SM Aura Premier in Bonifacio Global City, The Victor at Robinsons Bridgetowne, and Hometown Heroes at Double Dragon.
“JEFRË approaches each new landscape with an act of questioning, as building context for the location is an essential way to begin to know the community,” according to the artist’s web site (www.jefre.org). “Combined with a deep understanding of the historical, environmental and social relationships influencing the site and the architecture, JEFRË’s activation of public spaces remain committedly responsive to the aesthetic and community elements anchoring each work.”
The artist’s approach has also won him numerous competitions around the world. Most recently, the artist bagged a multimillion-dollar sculpture competition by the Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority (DIA). The contest gathered architecture and design firms with partner artists from around the world to present their creative concepts to the city.
JEFRË was part of the One Park Jax team put together by Chicago-based firm Perkins & Will. With two teams going head-to-head in the final scoring of the competition, JEFRË’s work proved to be the difference-maker, generating the most public feedback out of all the design proposals.
“The inclusion of that monumental piece of art [by JEFRË] really threw Perkins and Will over the top,” said DIA CEO Lori Boyer during the virtual awarding ceremony. “To me, it becomes the symbol of Downtown and it becomes the gathering place for everyone.”
JEFRË’s winning design is slated to become the new centerpiece of the four-acre Jacksonville River Park. The piece is valued at $12-18 million and is expected to be completed by 2023.
Inspired by St. Johns River, which stretches through Florida and into the City of Jacksonville, JEFRË’s stainless steel sculpture pays tribute to the city’s history. The installation is set to be 151 feet tall, or 1822 inches, which corresponds to Jacksonville’s founding date on June 5, 1822. The total linear length of the sculpture is 310 feet, which represents the length of St. Johns River in nautical miles.
JEFRË referenced these numbers to form abstract images and shapes to create the sculpture. The initial image he had in mind was that of an anchor, with a series of nautical knots in the shape of a heart, the figure eight, and an “X.” From an elevated angle, the image looks like it spells out “JAX,” which is short for Jacksonville. From another angle, it could be seen as “I love X” or “I love Jacksonville.”
“That’s the beauty of public art,” JEFRË says. “It creates dialogue and discussion. Everyone has an interpretation for it.”