Fresno State is currently showing five of the nine bronze sculptures of Mexican artist Jorge Marín’s “Wings of the City” collection. The statues were made from 2005 through 2010.
The sculptures were originally exhibited in 2010 in Mexico City as part of a grand exhibition on the Chapultepec Forest side of Paseo de la Reforma. Since then, the exhibit has traveled around the world through cities in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. The exhibit is sponsored by the México Consulado en Fresno, Diplomacia Cultural de México and the Instructionally Related Activities program at Fresno State.
Several of the pieces have larger-than-life male bronze figures with wings. The figures are balancing on orbs. One unwinged figure seems to be defying gravity by balancing himself on a ball. Others have the winged figures on pedestals. There is a sense of balance and naturalism in all the statues that are on balls, which are countered by the mystical qualities of the masks and wings.
The exhibition enables a vital link between student artists and community members, facilitating an environment in which visitors can engage with art and reflect on its significance.
“The fact that California State University, Fresno, is exhibiting for the first time an exhibition by a Mexican sculptor and that, in addition, it chooses to place the pieces in an iconic place on campus, shows that the university understands and recognizes that the Mexican and Latino community constitute a significant part of the region’s culture,” artist Marín said.
With wings unfurled or caught in mid-motion, the beings invoke curiosity, potential and empathy while inviting individual interpretation and meaning in their existence. The five bronze sculptures are centrally showcased along the Maple Mall at Fresno State and will remain for the enjoyment and enrichment of students and the community through August 2025.
