UGO RONDINONE: WATERFALL

lapis lazuli waterfall, 2026

Gladstone presents an exhibition of new monumental sculptures by Ugo Rondinone, in New York.

September 17 — October 31, 2026.

The exhibition at Gladstone Gallery consists of twelve vertical sculptures ranging from 3.5 to 6 meters in height. Arranged in an irregular grid, they rise through the gallery like waterfalls suspended in the act of falling. Made from transparent resin infused with pigments derived from crushed gemstones, the sculptures hold light within themselves like condensed atmosphere.

The sculptures are composed of three distinct forms of matter: transparent resin, pigments made from crushed gemstones, and the ashes from my hair and fingernails. Each belongs to a different order of existence. The resin is synthetic, born of human invention. The gemstones are geological, formed beneath the earth over millions of years. The ashes are biological; the intimate remains of a single life.

rose quartz waterfall, 2026

One of the defining characteristics of Op de Beeck’s work is his recurrent use of shades of grey. Many of his sculptures and installations are rendered in tones of ash grey, anthracite, and chalk white. This choice is far more than a purely aesthetic gesture. By removing color, the artist withdraws objects from immediate legibility and places them in a twilight zone between reality and memory.

What makes Op de Beeck’s work so relevant today is its resistance to immediate consumption. His art demands time, attention, and concentration. In a culture dominated by endless scrolling and fragmented attention, it invites us to stop and look longer—not in order to find answers, but to remain present to what unfolds slowly.