“Star” in Italian. That’s what “Stella” means. We are standing before a testament to art’s enduring power. I am about to tell you the story of Frank Stella’s “Jasper’s Split Star”. This remarkable sculpture now graces the Silverstein Family Park at 7 World Trade Center.
Frank Stella. He is a legendary artist. Stella’s journey is woven into the fabric of New York’s art scene. His works have been showcased in the world’s most prestigious museums. These include MoMA and the Whitney.
The story begins on a brisk November morning in 2021. Stella watched as workers carefully assembled his sculpture. “Jasper’s Split Star” is a 21-foot-tall aluminum jigsaw puzzle. The sculpture’s title references Stella’s 1962 painting. It is named “Jasper’s Dilemma”. This painting was inspired by a quote from Jasper Johns. Johns said, “The more I paint in color, the more I see everything in black and white.”
Larry Silverstein sought a replacement for Jeff Koons’s “Balloon Flower”. He contacted Stella. Stella was in his upstate New York studio at the time. Stella accepted. In 2009, President Obama awarded Stella the National Medal of Arts.
Silverstein previously purchased two Stella paintings. These paintings hung in the original Seven World Trade Center lobby. “Laestrygonia I” and “Telepilus Laestrygonia II” were destroyed on 9/11.
“Jasper’s Split Star” was created in 2017. Six of the star’s sides are solid aluminum. The other six are open. They are spray-painted in pale shades of blue, purple, and grey. Stella aimed to transpose Jasper Johns’s dynamic into three dimensions.
Silverstein opened the original Seven WTC in 1987. He and his wife filled the lobby with contemporary art. Works by Al Held, Roy Lichtenstein and Louise Nevelson were included.
Stella recalls his early days at the Leo Castelli Gallery. He shared the gallery with Jasper Johns. The gallery was a comfortable place. Artists could see what everyone was doing.
Stella described painting as “a flat surface with paint on it, nothing more.” He also quipped about the art world. He said there was “not enough” money in it.
The star is a recurring shape in Stella’s work. He began using it in the 1960s. He once avoided the shape. Stella means star in Italian. He worried the work was too obvious.
Silverstein sought to make the lobby “come alive”. He turned to contemporary art. Stella’s work became a focal point. People gathered in front of it.
Stella watched the installation. He admired the way the sun hit the work. The colors were vibrant. They were also subtle. “Like Jasper,” Stella said. So here stands “Jasper’s Split Star”. It is a testament to Stella’s vision. It is also a symbol of resilience.