La Vanguardia – 19/10/2023 see full article
The dreary Urquinaona square, which for too many years has been crying out for a remodeling that never comes, has a new attraction since Thursday, a sculpture that enhances one of its busiest corners. The jumper , by Jordi Díez, over three meters high, made entirely of stainless steel, recently reported by La Vanguardia, does not go unnoticed. Walking next to it forces you to look up and contemplate the athlete -inspired by British Olympic champion and popular LGTBI activist Tom Daley- diving into the sidewalk. “Search for a new reality that goes beyond the apparent,” the artist reiterated during the inauguration. The trampolinist, he continued, “dives headfirst into the city to discover a deeper level, to acquire knowledge and to commit himself…. A path that leads to tolerance in a world that suffers from all kinds of phobias.” These are, he summarized, “universal values that should permeate all public works, messages for everyone that are lasting, positive, inspiring” and, in this case, in addition, “the proposal is made by Barcelona to the world”.
The initiative came out of The 19th Hole, the business lounge of the Enjoybcn group of companies that occupies three of the highest floors of the Urquinaona tower, the building in front of the sculpture, owner of this space that serves as access to the chamfered corner with Roger de Llúria. Its director, Carmen de la Maza, pointed out that this 70-meter skyscraper , of rationalist style and a certain brutalist aesthetic, designed by Antoni Bonet and Benito Miró and built between 1966 and 1975, dialogues with sculpture. “A lot of people don’t look at the building and now they will,” she commented, supported by Díez, who is convinced that one and the other “reinforce each other, create synergies.” Not in vain, it seems that the watchtower is the springboard from which El saltador is launched to penetrate the waters in the form of a map of Barcelona that cover the grid, which continues to ventilate the parking facilities below and serves as the base of the sculpture. In any case, the artist pointed out, his creation represents a “regeneration, an updating of a space that was long overdue”.
The work, made of stainless steel and more than three meters high, is on top of a ventilation grill.
The first official day of The Jumper in Urquinaona -it spent several days setting up- caught the attention of the numerous passers-by. Many photographed it with their cell phones and many others uploaded the novel images to social networks. The tower receives a large number of visitors – among its tenants is the Venezuelan consulate – and there are also many who pass by on their way to other places.
“I love the feeling it gives, the muscles and even the splashes… and how everything shines! and how everything shines!” said Antònia, who was on her way to the Consorci d’Educació, which has its offices in the building. “This has changed a lot, now it looks like a different place, with interest, even the square seen from here looks different,” added Ricardo, on his way to his office in nearby Ausiàs Marc. “Before, people used to sit in the round of the ventilator, now that it is part of this work of art, no,” said another regular, Francesc, who works a little higher up, on Roger de Llúria. This circular base of four meters in diameter now has moldings on its contour that make it difficult to place the buttocks on top of it. It is no longer useful as a bench.
Jordi Díez is delighted that so many people can see his work, which stands out for the precision with which he reproduces the human body with gleaming metal. Much of his work is part of private collections and whenever he has the opportunity to show it in public spaces – there are numerous examples, from the monument to Ildefons Cerdà, in Centelles, the town where he lives and works, to the statue of Rafa Nadal, in Paris – he feels the “privilege of becoming part of many people’s daily lives”. Some contemplate their sculptures fleetingly and others stop to savor them calmly. For everyone, also with The Jumper , he seeks to inspire energy and positivity.
