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Bent Propeller (also known as World Trade Center Stabile) was a red stainless steel sculpture by Alexander Calder.
| Bent Propeller | |
|---|---|
Bent Propeller pictured in 1971
| |
| Artist | Alexander Calder |
| Completion date | 1970 |
| Medium | Sculpture |
| Dimensions | 760 cm (25 ft) |
| Condition | Severely damaged in the September 11 attacks in 2001 (partially intact) |
| Location | New York City |
| Coordinates | 40°42′47.1″N 74°0′43.9″W / 40.713083°N 74.012194°W / 40.713083; -74.012194 |
The main elements of the sculpture were three sheets of curved metal, linked together to form a static work resting under its own weight, making it what Calder called a "stabile", as opposed to his famous "mobile" sculptures. It was reminiscent of a ship's propeller. Like many of Calder's public sculptures, it was painted red. The large work, 25 feet (7.6 m) high, was first installed near the entrance to WTC1 (the North Tower). It was moved in 1970 to a plaza in front of 7 World Trade Center, on the northeast corner of the Austin J. Tobin Plaza by Vesey Street and Church Street.
The sculpture was commissioned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1969 and installed in 1970 at the World Trade CenterinNew York City.
The work was severely damaged in 2001 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, crushed under thousands of tons of rubble when 7 World Trade Center collapsed[broken anchor]. About 40 percent of the sculpture was recovered from the debris in the following months. With not enough of the original remaining for a restoration, the recovered elements were stored by the Calder Foundation. Today, a portion of the sculpture can be found at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.