François-Xavier Lalanne’s Moutons will continue posing for photos and grazing at Getty Station in Chelsea through October 20 (photo by twi-ny/mdr)
Getty Station
239 Tenth Ave. at 24th St.
Extended through November 24, free
www.gettystation.com
sheep station photo set
In late August, the main colors visible at the northwest corner of Tenth Ave. and Twenty-Fifth St. were the red and white of the Getty gas station logo and the yellow and black of taxis lining up to fill up their tanks, as they have done there for decades. But on September 17, that was replaced by the green of lush grass and small trees and the black, brown, and white of more than two dozen sheep, each one cuter than the last. In the fall of 2009, ten of these “Moutons,” bronze and epoxy stone sculptures made by François-Xavier Lalanne (1927-2008), could be seen grazing on a Park Ave. meridian in Midtown, part of the exhibit ”Les Lalanne on Park Avenue,” which also included works by Lalanne’s wife, Claude. Now real estate developer and art collector Michael Shvo, in conjunction with Paul Kasmin Gallery, has installed “Sheep Station,” consisting of twenty-five sheep from François-Xavier’s “Les Noveaux Moutons” and “Mouton de Pierre” series, creating a lovely, hilly fenced-in respite in Chelsea. The male, female, and baby sheep are ever peaceful and, mostly, content, having adapted quickly to their temporary new home. Shvo even had fun with the Getty signage, using it to announce the name and length of the show. And don’t be surprised if that man watering the grass and small trees on a bright, sunny afternoon is Shvo himself. Shvo, who also collects the work of such artists as Pablo Picasso, Tom Wesselman, Alexander Calder, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and others, has a few more Getty Station installations planned once the sheep are done grazing on October 20, but he’s not telling yet what they will be. After that, he and fellow developer Victor Homes will turn the site into a luxury High Line condo.