Hippo Ballerina Arrives in Her New Home at Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus

The highlight of the Magis Sculpture Exhibition—a collaboration with Cavalier Galleries—the iconic sculpture will be on display through December

NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fordham University, in partnership with Cavalier Galleries, is proud to announce the opening of The Magis Sculpture Exhibition, at its Lincoln Center campus. This highly anticipated exhibit features 11 magnificent sculptures, including Bjørn Okholm Skaarup's iconic Hippo Ballerina, set in Fordham's celebrated outdoor sculpture garden, a cultural haven in the heart of Manhattan.

Visitors are invited to experience a self-guided sculpture walk amidst Fordham's beautifully manicured campus, directly across from the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. A highlight of the exhibition is Hippo Ballerina, the beloved 2.5-ton bronze sculpture adorned in a copper tutu. Standing 15 feet tall, the sculpture is inspired by Degas' Little Dancer Aged Fourteen and the dancing hippos of Walt Disney'sFantasia and has captivated audiences across New York City with previous installations at Pershing Square Plaza West, Dante Park, the Flatiron South Public Plaza, and the Girl Scouts of America Building. For this exhibition, Hippo Ballerina will be prominently displayed on 62nd Street.

"Fordham's sculpture garden at our Lincoln Center campus is a hidden oasis in the cultural heart of the city," said University President Tania Tetlow. "We are delighted to have 11 more sculptures on loan, thanks to the generosity of Fordham Trustee Kim B. Bepler, and invite the public to enjoy a self-guided tour through our beautiful plaza."

In addition to Hippo Ballerina, Skaarup's sculptures The Frog,The Majestic Lion,The Giraffe, and The Ostrich will also be on display. Each sculpture presents a whimsical story or allegory to decipher, with sources ranging from ancient fables and art history to music and modern animation. Joining Skaarup's bronze lineup are two monumental sculptures from Jim Rennert, Timing and Inner Dialogue, which represent the meeting point between the business world and the everyday lives of ordinary people. Rennert's titles work together with his visual art to illustrate the experiences—sometimes physical, sometimes psychological—common to contemporary society, and perhaps especially the urban environment. The sculptures have previously been exhibited in New York City's Pershing Square, Theatre District and Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza. Works by renowned figurative artists Bruno Lucchesi and Jane DeDecker are also featured, with sculptures that explore themes of family, nature, and human growth.

"Bjørn Skaarup's sculptures invite us to see the familiar in extraordinary ways," said Ron Cavalier, President of Cavalier Galleries. "Together with the powerful works of Jim Rennert, Bruno Lucchesi, and Jane DeDecker, The Magis Sculpture Exhibition at Fordham's Lincoln Center campus offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience their unique artistic vision in a space that celebrates creativity and community. We are honored to collaborate with Fordham on bringing this remarkable exhibition to life."

"Jesuit education is the education of the whole person—the soul, the inspiration, the arts," said Kim B. Bepler, a longtime supporter of the university. "I hope these sculptures will be inspiring, and that they'll give people a moment to pause and reflect as they wander through campus, studying and enjoying our outdoor space."

The Magis Sculpture Exhibition is open to the public offering an immersive cultural experience in the heart of Manhattan. A QR code displayed with each piece leads to information about the sculpture and its artist. Visitors can explore the exhibit daily at Fordham's Lincoln Center campus, located at 113 West 60th Street, New York, NY 10023. Open Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. The plaza-level garden can be accessed along 62nd Street via a staircase on the east side of Fordham's School of Law.

For more information about the sculpture walk and the artworks, please visit: https://www.fordham.edu/about/campuses/lincoln-center-campus/fordhams-sculpture-walk/.

ABOUT FORDHAM
Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition across nine schools. Fordham awards baccalaureate, graduate, and professional degrees, and enrolls approximately 17,000 students in Fordham College at Rose Hill, Fordham College at Lincoln Center, the Gabelli School of Business (undergraduate and graduate), the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Education, the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education, the Graduate School of Social Service, and the School of Law. The University has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan; the Westchester campus in West Harrison, New York; the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, New York; and the Fordham London campus in the United Kingdom.

ABOUT CAVALIER GALLERIES
For nearly 40 years, Cavalier Galleries has offered an unparalleled selection of contemporary fine art at premier exhibition spaces in Greenwich, Nantucket, New York, and Palm Beach. The galleries present traditional and representational artwork as well as modern and contemporary works from local and international artists. Cavalier Galleries offers a wide variety of paintings, sculpture, and photography by emerging talents, mid-career artists, and those who have established their place in the art historical canon.

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SOURCE Cavalier Gallery