Visitors to Paris for the Olympics might catch a glimpse of the same iconic Peekskill diver that graces our riverfront. The 16-foot tall sculpture that sits at the Peekskill riverfront has a twin that is in front of the Eiffel Tower for the Summer Olympics. Artist Carol Feuerman’s sculpture was chosen by Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris for exhibition during the Olympics and Paralympics. In this TikTok short video, Feuerman narrates while the diver is installed at its City of Lights base.
Feuerman’s sculpture, whose official name is The Golden Mean was part of the art festival known as Peekskill Project V in 2013. Originally on temporary loan to Peekskill during the public art project, through the efforts of Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art (HVMOCA) and the generosity of the artist, the work was made affordable for purchase by the City of Peekskill.
In a map created by HVMOCA of public art in Peekskill, Feuerman’s piece was described as “a sculpture crafted in bronze of a male diver, his cap featuring gold leaf detail. The choice of a black and naturally bronzing patina as opposed to a realistic finish that is the usual hallmark of the artist, was made purposefully so that the sculpture creates a silhouette at varied times of the day, a majestic tribute to the beauty of the athlete, a bow to the Greek classical works of the past. Perfectly balanced and stalwart, it stands on the Peekskill Riverfront Green, as a beacon to human ambition and artistic accomplishment, visible to travelers on Metro North. It quickly became an icon on the waterfront, with hikers and visitors at all times of the year shooting and posting selfies.
Weighing 1500 pounds, the diver had a specially crafted steel base for support. Under supervision of members of the Department of Parks and the Department of Public Works, a backhoe was brought in to dig a deep pit into the ground to house the base. Though created based on measurements given to the fabricator, the base had to nevertheless be refined and retooled on site to hold the diver securely in place.”
Because casting in bronze is extremely expensive, artists create limited editions of pieces. It took Feuerman some five years to create The Golden Mean. Her process is documented in this video.
