Slit Figure

Al Landzberg

1996  |  Welded steel

Slit Figure was created by New York artist Al Landzberg, who specializes in steel and fiberglass sculpture. Made of welded steel and measuring 76 inches tall, it was selected by Plaza America’s then-owner, Intertech Corporation of Washington, DC to be a centerpiece for the plaza.

Slit Figure is a study in contrasts: the contrast in shapes between three closed ellipses and a mysterious opening that slices through them, the contrast in colors between the sculpture’s fire-engine red and the shopping center’s subdued hues, and the contrast in design between the center’s business orientation and the sculpture’s playfulness.

“I am pleased that Slit Figure has been placed in a central location where it can be seen so easily, in a place that has become a premiere public space,” said Landzberg. “I trust that Restonians will notice it in their comings and goings, and that it will evoke surprise and wonder. Is this figure human? Animal? A mythical creature? A person from outer space? Perhaps the children of Reston will help answer these questions.”

Owner: Atlantic Realty Companies

Read the original press release here.