Ugo Rondinone's Five-Meter Hermit Sculpture Installed at Paddington Square, London

A new public art program at Paddington Square, a shopping and dining complex between Praed Street and Paddington Station in London, has been launched by Lacuna, a cultural studio led by curators Stella Ioannou and Jade Niklai. The program features works by international artists, including a five-meter yellow-orange hermit sculpture by Ugo Rondinone (born Brunnen, 1964). The sculpture, described by the artist as an 'eremita giallo/arancione,' explores the struggle between inner self and the natural world, offering passersby reflections on the human condition. Rondinone noted that stones have been a recurring motif in his work, referencing his 2013 installation 'Human Nature' at Rockefeller Plaza and the 2016 'Seven Magic Mountains' in the Nevada desert. Other works include a colorful installation by Pae White (born Pasadena, 1963) titled 'Something,' a large photograph by Catherine Yass (born London, 1963) on a wall facing Tanner Lane near St Mary's Hospital, and a piece by Kathrin Böhm (born Bamberg, 1969) asking 'Why do we care about art?' which inspired public workshops at The Showroom, a contemporary art space focused on relational art.