The Cycle of Life

Large-scale commissions and installations have become an increasingly important aspect of Charlie Kaplan’s practice. Over the past several years he has had the opportunity to install large public sculptures at sites in Italy and the US, notably at Baruch College in New York City and Pietrasanta, Italy. Many of these works have been inextricably tied to offering benefit to the community, which is very much in keeping with Kaplan’s overall ethos. ”I am always conscious of giving back to the community, of offering educational and enriching experiences to the public through my Art.”

Kaplan’s latest commission is for The Village in the heart of his own community of Los Angeles. The Village is a landmark building project which broke ground in April of 2023. It is a revolutionary inclusive apartment complex, a community that will celebrate and embrace diversity among adults with intellectual and developmental differences, empowering them to live independently with dignity and acceptance.

The challenge for Charlie was to create a sculpture that symbolized the core mission of The Village, was interactive and appealing to the resident community, and of a scale that was human, yet large enough to encourage engagement by residents and visitors. Settling on a design with a large broken circle of clear white marble set atop a hemisphere of deep grey, the first step was to visit the quarries near Pietrasanta, Italy to select the stones. This is a process that the artist takes very seriously - the stone must communicate with him, and it must be the right size and shape to suit his vision.

Though different in it’s message, The Cycle of Life is reminiscent of Robert Smithson’s broken circle/spiral hill. Here the broken circle signifies the intentional disruption of a continuous loop, representing a commitment to break free of negative patterns and cycles, to open new pathways, to be liberated from old paradigms of behavior that are no longer appropriate. This work is also designed to be available to special needs adults for touch and movement, the smooth Italian marble surface offering tactile pleasure, while with light pressure the entire orientation can shift, continually creating new perspectives.

It is a perfect pairing. The Kaplan Studio has worked closely with the developers, architects, engineers and project managers who all recognized the importance of adding a major piece of art to the overall plan. Art can be a valuable means of communication, a way to overcome differences and create bonds. And within this very specialized community built on acceptance, it is a nexus, a way for for residents, families, neighbors and businesses to unite in recognizing the unique value of every individual.