ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Scott Burton's Decommissioned Sculpture Recontextualized in Álvaro Urbano's TABLEAU VIVANT Installation

exhibition · 2026-04-20

At SculptureCenter in New York, Álvaro Urbano presents his exhibition TABLEAU VIVANT (2024–25), which incorporates elements from Scott Burton's now-defunct public artwork, Atrium Furnishment (1986). Burton, known as an American postminimalist, designed functional seating that blended seamlessly with artistic expression. His expansive verde larissa marble piece, measuring 12 meters in width, adorned the Equitable Life Assurance Company lobby for over three decades. During renovations in 2020, curator Jeremy Johnston intervened to save it from destruction. Urbano's installation features half of the original Atrium Furnishment components alongside 1,300 metal fruits and flowers crafted from materials found in Central Park's Ramble. David J. Getsy's monograph explores Burton's queer coding. The exhibition runs until March 24.

Key facts

  • Álvaro Urbano's TABLEAU VIVANT (2024–25) incorporates elements from Scott Burton's Atrium Furnishment (1986)
  • Burton's sculpture was rescued from demolition during 2020 renovations of the Equitable Life Assurance Company headquarters
  • The original 12-meter-wide verde larissa marble work stood in Midtown Manhattan for over 30 years
  • Curator Jeremy Johnston transported the sculpture to storage in Westchester, New York in September 2020
  • Urbano's installation includes 1,300 fabricated metal fruits and flowers modeled after Central Park's Ramble
  • Historian David J. Getsy analyzes Burton's queer coding through "self-effacing" designs in public spaces
  • Burton died from HIV-related illness in 1989 after moving to New York City in 1959
  • The exhibition raises questions about conservation practices that might neutralize works' productive ambiguity

Entities

Artists

  • Scott Burton
  • Álvaro Urbano
  • Tony Smith
  • David J. Getsy
  • Jeremy Johnston

Institutions

  • SculptureCenter
  • Equitable Life Assurance Company
  • AXA Building
  • ArtReview

Locations

  • New York
  • United States
  • Greensboro
  • Alabama
  • New York City
  • Midtown Manhattan
  • Westchester
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom
  • Berlin
  • Germany
  • Central Park
  • Battery Park City

Sources