I guess I never posted a picture of this sculpture, which was erected in Morningside Park in May. Called "Reclining Liberty," it light-heartedly combines a familiar New York character with an ancient Buddhist pose. Artist Zaq Landsberg lets viewers decide what it means. (Many younger ones also climb all over it.)
I had the pleasure yesterday of showing it to a friend who happens to be a Buddhist, and has just been through a really rough year. I didn't tell him what we were going to see, and had us approach from the right. We saw Lady Liberty's feet before we knew whose they were, or what she was doing. "It's the Buddha!" he gasped, happily astonished.
